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HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum yesterday launched a charity drive to raise funds for urgently needed primary education for children across the world.
‘Dubai Cares’ will run throughout Ramadan and expects to raise enough to help over one million children. It will assist countries in achieving UN Millennium Development Goals for providing children’s primary education to every child by 2015.
Sheikh Mohammed told an audience at the Madinat Arena in Madinat Jumeirah: "Dubai Cares seeks to shine the light of knowledge and dispel the darkness of ignorance by giving the children in poor countries hope for the future and opportunities to break the cycle of poverty that threatens to entrap them and consign their families to a life with no real future," said His Highness. "Only through education can they assume their rightful position as positive contributors in the prosperity of their communities and countries."
"Education is the most effective way to turn good intentions into concrete actions that change the lives of people immeasurably and for the better. The satisfaction of helping the needy or curbing injustice can be immense. Now, imagine how much stronger that satisfaction is if that act helps to free generation after generation from grinding poverty” he added.
The campaign recognizes education as the best long-term solution to alleviate poverty in the developing world, reinforcing the call of experts that educating children, especially girls, is the key to ending the global 'cycle of poverty'. It is also one of the most powerful instruments for laying the basis for sustained economic growth, sound governance and effective institutions.
120 million school-age children are not enrolled in primary education; one in every three children in developing countries does not complete five years of primary education, the minimum required for achieving basic literacy. Of the children who do not attend school, 58% are girls. This gender gap in education is a major obstacle to alleviating poverty.
Events and promotions for the campaign will be held over a six week period to tap into the spirit of giving during Ramadan. The campaign will fund new school facilities, renovate and rehabilitate existing schools, distribute teaching materials and award student scholarships. It will also co-ordinate food programmes and provide annual medical checks for students and teachers.
Dubai’s ruler called upon both Emiratis and expats to ‘compete in charity’ by participating in any way they can. “I expect the private sector to make a substantial contribution, including international corporations and their offices in the UAE” he said.
Major General Musabeh Rashid Musabeh Al Fattan kicked off the campaign by donating Dh 10 million per year. This was followed by a Dh20 million contribution from Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem.