Rethink Rebuild Society is a Manchester, United Kingdom-based charity that primarily supports the growing number of Syrian and other Arabic-speaking ¹ refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants in the United Kingdom. ²

Rethink Rebuild Society was established in 2013 in response to the growing number of refugees in the United Kingdom due to the Syrian Civil War. The group claims the British government created the situation that led to the creation of Syrian asylum-seekers ³ and supports these asylum-seekers with government benefits, job searches, and immigration related issues. ^{4 5} The organization has also hosted events on the different pathways that Syrians can take to enter the United Kingdom and gain access to government-funded housing. ⁶

In a 2023 letter to then-U.K. Home Secretary Suella Braverman, Rethink Rebuild Society claimed that hotel accommodations provided to asylum seekers in the United Kingdom are “like prison.” ⁷

History and Leadership

Rethink Rebuild Society began informally in 2011 in response to the start of the Syrian Civil War. In May 2013, the group was officially established as a company and then registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales in 2018. ^{8 9}

Abdullatif Alfutimie is the executive director of Rethink Rebuild Society. ¹⁰

Activities and Funding

Rethink Rebuild Society is a Manchester, United Kingdom-based charity ¹¹ that primarily supports the growing number of Syrians and other Arabic-speaking refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants in the United Kingdom. ¹² The group provides services to support these individuals with government benefits, job searches, and immigration matters. ^{13 14} The organization also provides education, housing, and employment advice and offers computer skills courses, English language lessons, ¹⁵ and training programs to participating individuals. ^{16 17}

Rethink Rebuild Society is a member of the left-of-center pro-Syrian coalition WE Exist ¹⁸ and advocates for refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants in the United Kingdom. ¹⁹ In addition to its support for these individuals, the society promotes social inclusion of refugees and asylum seekers and promotes the culture of refugees’ home countries within the United Kingdom. ²⁰

The group has worked at the national and local level to support British Syrians on issues including closure of Syrians’ bank accounts, airport security stops, police visits to homes, delayed processing times for asylum applicants, and allowing dependents the ability to enter the United Kingdom. ²¹

In a letter to then-British Home Secretary Suella Braverman, Rethink Rebuild Society claimed that hotels provided to asylum seekers in the United Kingdom are “like prison.” In this letter, the society also called for expedited asylum decision-making, claimed the British government created the situation leading to asylum-seekers, and called for an end of what it considered “racist” rhetoric opposing asylum seekers. ²²

Rethink Rebuild Society also provides information to journalists on the Syrian Civil War and hosts events and conferences. ²³ Its programming has included events explaining the different pathways that Syrians can take to enter the United Kingdom and access to government-funded housing, ²⁴ events related to the Syrian Civil War, local and national initiatives to fight what the group considers xenophobia and discrimination against Syrian diaspora and migrants, ²⁵ and the Celebrating Syria Festival. ^{26 27}

Funding

Rethink Rebuild Society receives funding from individual donations and grants. ^{28 29} In 2022, Rethink Rebuild Society reported revenue of £207,055 ($253,083) and expenses of £156,951 ($191,841). ³⁰

1. “What We Do.” Rebuild Rethink Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/71.
2. “Rethink Rebuild Society.” Charity Commission for England and Wales. Registered British Charity Number 1177807. Accessed November 12, 2023. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5102900/financial-history.
3. “An open letter to Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick: hotel “optimization”.” Rethink Rebuild Society. July 18, 2023. Accessed November 11, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/1549.
4. “Refugees.” Rethink Rebuild Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/12.
5. “Who We Are.” Rebuild Rethink Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/68.
6.  “How housing affects the lives of refugees in the UK.” Rethink Rebuild Society. October 19, 2023. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/1572.
7. “An open letter to Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick: hotel “optimization”.” Rethink Rebuild Society. July 18, 2023. Accessed November 11, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/1549.
8. “Refugees.” Rethink Rebuild Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/12.
9. “Who We Are.” Rebuild Rethink Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/68.
10. “Organisational Structure.” Rethink Rebuild Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/63.
11. “Rethink Rebuild Society.” Charity Commission for England and Wales. Registered British Charity Number 1177807. Accessed November 12, 2023. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search/-/charity-details/5102900/financial-history
12. “What We Do.” Rebuild Rethink Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/71.
13. “Refugees.” Rethink Rebuild Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/12.
14. “Who We Are.” Rebuild Rethink Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/68.
15. “Refugees.” Rethink Rebuild Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/12.
16. “Refugees.” Rethink Rebuild Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/12.
17. “Videos.” Rethink Rebuild Society YouTube Channel. Accessed November 12, 2023. https://www.youtube.com/@SyrianCommunityManchester/videos.
18. “Board of Directors.” WE exist. Accessed November 11, 2023. https://weexist-sy.org/partners/.
19. “Who We Are.” Rebuild Rethink Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/68.
20. “Refugees.” Rethink Rebuild Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/12.
21. “Refugees.” Rethink Rebuild Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/12.
22. “An open letter to Suella Braverman and Robert Jenrick: hotel “optimization”.” Rethink Rebuild Society. July 18, 2023. Accessed November 11, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/1549.
23. “Advocacy.” Rethink Rebuild Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/advocacy.
24. “How housing affects the lives of refugees in the UK.” Rethink Rebuild Society. October 19, 2023. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/1572.
25. “Rethink Rebuild Society.” Media Material submitted to Global Diaspora Day 2016. Accessed November 12, 2023. https://madenetwork.org/sites/default/files/Submission_Yasmine%20Nahlawi.pdf.
26. “Previous Events.” Rethink Rebuild Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/events?page=1.
27. “Introduction to 2022 Festival.” Celebrating Syria. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.celebratingsyria.org/.
28. “Donate.” Rethink Rebuild Society. Accessed November 8, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/59.
29. “Who We Are.” Rebuild Rethink Society. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://www.rrsoc.org/node/68.
30. “Trustees’ Report & Financial Statements.” Rethink Rebuild Society. 31 May 2022. Accessed November 9, 2023. https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-search?p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=2&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&p_p_resource_id=%2Faccounts-resource&p_p_cacheability=cacheLevelPage&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_objectiveId=A13106999&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_mvcRenderCommandName=%2Faccounts-and-annual-returns&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_organisationNumber=5102900.