Our Story
In August 2014, the world watched - and did little - as ISIS launched a brutal genocide against the Yazidis, a peaceful minority group in Northern Iraq. Thousands of men were killed, and thousands more women taken as sex slaves. Hundreds of thousands fled for their lives into Syria, Turkey and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
Halfway around the world, a stroke had just left Willy blind. In desperation, the only prayer he found himself uttering was: “God, please use me for the rest of my life.”
The answer came quickly. Not long after his sight was restored, Willy received an email with a plea to bring medical aid to Yazidi refugees. A first trip in early 2015 with his friend Dr. David Yue soon led to many more, bringing relief and medical aid. In 2017, Habibi International was born.
We are committed to the transformation of the lives of refugees and internally displaced persons in the Middle East
We’re often asked:
“Why Habibi? What does it even mean?”
“Habibi” is a commonly used term of endearment across the Middle East that means “my beloved”. It is a reminder of how relationships are at the heart of all that we do, and that love should drive our actions. This is even more crucial in the contexts we serve in.
Our Values
We Follow Jesus
We take our cue from someone who was once a refugee and who understands suffering intimately. His message of hope, healing and freedom is what keeps us going. His approach of doing life with people - including those that society despised or did not protect - guides ours.
We Value People
We’re not here to run a program or complete a project - we’re here to come alongside friends who have tremendous dignity and worth.
We Pursue Partnerships
We can’t take on the world’s immense challenges alone, neither are we supposed to. We believe that everyone brings unique strengths to the table, and collaborations with others - especially local communities - are our best shot at moving the needle on issues.
We Are Pioneers
We aren’t afraid to do what others have not done before. We create platforms so that others can also serve.
We Respect Local Cultures
We are constantly learning from and amazed by the beauty and diversity of the cultures we get to encounter. Our local team is a microcosm of the multicultural society we work in, with all ethnicities and faiths.
We Practice Servant Leadership
We recognize that some of the areas we work in have painful histories of exploitation. We are here not to take but to give, not to be served but to serve.
OUR FOUNDERS
WILLY TAN
Willy is the Founder/CEO of Habibi International, a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to serving the refugees and internally displaced in the Middle East. He was born in Singapore and grew up attending a local Presbyterian church with his family. In 1986, after completing his mandatory military service in Singapore, he went to the United States for college. He graduated from Biola University in 1990 and Fuller Seminary in 1993. Currently, he is completing his doctorate at Gordon-Conwell Seminary. Prior to humanitarian work, Willy was a portfolio manager in the wealth management industry in Southern California, during which he also studied at the Drucker School of Management. He was also an active member of the First Evangelical Church of Cerritos in Los Angeles for almost three decades. Presently, while traveling extensively in the Middle East and beyond, Willy is based in Zakho, a town bordering Syria and Turkey, in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Willy is passionate about traveling, history, and archaeology.
DR. DAVID YUE
Dr. David Yue, M.D., is co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Habibi International. He earned his medical degree from the University of Rochester, and has been in private practice in the Los Angeles area since 1992, after completing his combined internal medicine and pediatrics residency at the University of California, Irvine. Ever since Jesus first touched his heart in college, David has been involved in volunteer activities in countries such as Mexico, Myanmar and now, Iraq. David is married to Connie and they have one daughter.
THE TEAM
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Lani - Operations Director
Michael - Logistics Manager
Elizabeth - Financial Controller
Richard - Creative Director
Jack - Bookkeeper
Jacinth - Social Media Manager -
Willy - Country Director
Jonathan - Projects Director
Heidi - Operations Director
Kaizak - Office Manager
Ruth - MHPSS Program Manager
Jeslyn - MHPSS Program Manager
Germaine - Education Program Manager
Ginny - Dental Program Manager
Yuxiang - MHPSS Program Manager
Vignette - Medical Program Manager
Shaveen - Center Supervisor -
Chiew Lian - Executive Director
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Dr. David Yue - Board Chair
Daniel Chung - Treasurer
Samantha Cao - Secretary
Willy Tan
Danny Chu
Dr. Jerry Tzou
Michael Chen
Dr. Peter Chiu -
Ng Zhi-Wen - Board Chair
Suzanna Harjadi - Treasurer
Evelyn Loh
Dr. Richard Hui
Willy Tan - EX Officio
