‘Giving back is a universal form of faith.’ Can Tunisia revive unused trusts?
Mohammed Bennani carefully balances a platter of steaming couscous in his hands, carrying it to a table in the courtyard of his family home in Tunis’ old Medina on a brisk January Wednesday.
The guests? Whoever shows up.
The free weekly meal is open to all, but Mr. Bennani is not running a charity kitchen. This is his inheritance.
“My grandfather donated a portion of his fortune to help others, and it is up to us to continue this tradition until the end of time,” Mr. Bennani says. “This is how we were raised: You respect the waqf.”
In Tunisia, as the country’s economy continues to falter, unemployment soars, and the ranks of vulnerable people swell, activists are seeking to
