Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, hosted on Saturday the latest edition of Volunteer Emirates 2019 with the participation of 100 volunteers who helped renovate The National Charity School in Al Garhoud in Dubai. The volunteers were involved in assembling desks and chairs for the students; revitalising spaces for music and literature; providing books, puzzles and arts and crafts supplements; and educational equipment for students of determination. The volunteers also helped in landscaping the garden space within the school to enhance the educational environment. This edition of Volunteer Emirates, which is sponsored by DP World, is set to benefit 1,200 students.

Moreover, the “Give a Ghaf” initiative donated Ghaf trees, as a symbol of the Year of Tolerance, to Al National Charity School in Al Garhoud to help inspire and empower schoolchildren towards greener and sustainable practices.

Speaking at this edition of Volunteer Emirates 2019, Abdulla Ahmed Al Shehhi, Chief Operating Officer at Dubai Cares, said: “Dubai Cares’ mission is not only to enrich the learning experiences of children and young people in developing countries, but also offers a rare opportunity for members of the local community to support and empower schoolchildren from not for profit schools within the UAE. Thanks to the generosity of the volunteers and DP World, we have harnessed the incredible power of volunteering to make this school a place where children can learn and thrive. From the new school garden to an array of educational material in the library, The National Charity School now has the necessary resources to cultivate learning at the highest level, and for that, every volunteer should feel immensely proud.”

Mohammed Al Muallem, CEO and Managing Director, DP World, UAE Region, said: “In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and  Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in his 50 Year Charter to increase philanthropic initiatives every year, DP World is committed to giving back to the Emirati society in every way we can. By investing in our people and our community, we help lay the foundations for a bright future.

“We are proud to sponsor this year’s edition of Volunteer Emirates. We believe it is vital for our society to develop and promote sustainable practices, and help instil these values in our children from a young age so that they may grow up valuing our nation.”

Commenting on the initiative Reem Husein, principal of National Charity school-elementary, “At our National Charity schools, we look up to adopt innovative thinking methods to overlook the future and build up a better tomorrow for the coming generations. At the culmination of a distinguished work , our schools have activated global citizenship and the diplomatic culture, tolerance and dialogue among civiliaations and global visions of sustainable development goals 2030. We would like to thank Dubai Cares which initiatively supported the elementary school with an educational garden, a music room equipped with modern techniques and rooms with high quality educational resources to engage  students with special  needs within inclusive education in a safe and attractive environment.

Amel Al Bedawi, a volunteer from UAE, said: “I’m proud to be part of this initiative. We have accomplished so much in just one day, and I hope that what we have done here will  encourage others to volunteer and join us next time.”

Since its inception, Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has been working towards providing children and young people in developing countries with access to quality education through the design and funding of programmes that aim to be integrated, impactful, sustainable and scalable. As a result, the UAE-based global philanthropic organisation has successfully launched education programmes reaching over 18 million beneficiaries in 57 developing countries.

Dubai Cares is playing a key role in helping achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and quality education for all and promote lifelong learning by 2030, by supporting programmes in early childhood development, access to quality primary and secondary education, technical and vocational education and training for youth along with a particular focus on education in emergencies and protracted crises.

In the UAE, Dubai Cares engages residents through a series of volunteer, awareness and fundraising initiatives that are linked to its global mandate. These initiatives include the annual Walk for Education, Volunteer Emirates, Volunteer Globally and Ramadan Campaign.