Over 100 people give charity school a facelift

More than 100 members of the UAE community took part in the second edition of ‘Volunteer Emirates 2017’ by donating their time and energy to help improve facilities and install equipment in a non-profit school which accommodates more than 5,000 students.

Volunteer Emirates 2017, which was carried out at the National Charity School in Dubai, is the third community engagement initiative completed during the ‘Year of Giving 2017’ by Dubai Cares, part of Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global.

During the latest edition of Volunteer Emirates 2017, sponsored by Al Ahlia Gulf Line General Trading Coca-Cola, the team of volunteers created a playground by replacing tiles with medical sand, installing recreational toys, painting tyres and planting flowers, as well as providing a range of sports equipment.

They also exhibited their artistic talent by painting the walls around the recreational area in an array of colours, and installed students desks and chairs, and student lockers for 12 classrooms in the school’s primary section.

Speaking on the occasion, Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, said: “Dubai Cares is working to ensure that children have the calibre of education that shapes their future, by providing them with an environment that inspires their curiosity, inquiry and discovery. This philosophy extends to our work in the UAE where we focus on enhancing the learning environment across non-profit schools, and the significance of such an initiative is reflected in the tremendous support we continuously receive from the UAE community. Our volunteers are a true depiction of the spirit of the ‘Year of Giving’, and we are extremely grateful to them for their commitment and to Coca-Cola for its continuous and invaluable support for the work of Dubai Cares

Deepak Kaul, managing director UAE and Oman at Al Ahlia Gulf Line General Trading Coca-Cola, said: “We are happy to be partnering with Dubai Cares in its efforts to support the community here in the UAE, through the Volunteer Emirates initiative. At AGL and Coca-Cola, we share with Dubai Cares the vision of engaging and contributing to the communities that we operate in, and the happiness and enthusiasm with which all the volunteers contributed to the renovation of the National Charity School in Dubai is a wonderful example of these shared values.

“We know that the learning environment contributes greatly to children’s success and are committed to doing all that we can to support enhancing it. We are inspired by the UAE leadership’s vision for the Year of Giving to give our time and energy to improving the educational and recreational environment for children in the community. AGL is grateful to Dubai Cares for recognising this shared commitment and for involving us in its Emirates Volunteers initiative which we will continue to support throughout 2017.”

Kamal Mohammad Farhat, Director-General of the National Charity Schools, said: “We are very thankful for Dubai Cares’ support to our school. The work that is being carried out by the volunteers today will be immensely appreciated by our students tomorrow.”

Rana Awad, marketing manager at Dubai Cares, said, “It is always inspiring to see volunteers from all over the country coming together and committing their time and effort for a good cause. With our collective effort and selflessness, we are able to positively impact the learning experience for these children.”

A third edition of Volunteer Emirates 2017 will take place later this year

source : gulfnews