Rebecca Dykes was a compassionate and dedicated humanitarian whose life was cut tragically short. Through her Foundation, Rebecca's values and vision for a better world live on.

Our Mission

Rebecca Dykes ('Becky') was killed in Lebanon in December 2017, aged 30. Prior to her death, Rebecca had worked as a Programme and Policy Manager for the UK's Department for International Development in Lebanon. Her efforts improved the lives of countless refugees and vulnerable host communities throughout that country. 

The Rebecca Dykes Foundation was set up as a restricted fund by Rebecca's friends and family with the aim of continuing her important work. It does this by supporting and funding projects that further causes that were close to Rebecca's heart.

One such cause is community cohesion. Since the Syrian crisis, around 1.5 million Syrian refugees are estimated to have arrived in Lebanon, which already hosts some 260-280,000 Palestinian refugees. Tensions can build up between refugees and the already stretched Lebanese communities that host them. Through projects that improve the provision of basic services, such as electricity and waste collection, or that bring different communities together, such as youth sports initiatives, those tensions can be reduced. 

The Foundation is also committed to improving gender equality. Women and girls are unfortunately often disproportionately affected when communities are put under strain. For example, they are likely to have more limited access to jobs or education, and their safety can be put at risk. RDF aims to support projects that counter the pressures and disadvantages faced by vulnerable women and girls.

In 2018-2020, projects were selected by RDF according to a two-tier review process, whereby projects are assessed according to a number of criteria, including fit to the Foundation's objectives, sustainability, capacity and value for money. As part of this process, the Foundation brought on board external expertise. For 2020-2021, RDF will rely on its in-house expertise to select suitable projects.