Dubai: With text messages being sent out by telecommunication service providers, Etisalat and Du, The “Dress one million needy children” campaign has had a positive start.
The campaign aims to collect donations during Ramadan to dress and clothe one million needy children around the world. It costs Dh40 to dress one child.
The campaign was launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Thursday July 11 and will continue to July 28 (Ramadan 19).
The campaign will end on Ramadan 19, which coincides with the ninth death anniversary of Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Nahyan and “Emirati humanitarian work day,” an annual event in memory of Shaikh Zayed.
Mohammad Abdullah Al Haj Al Zarouni, Emirates Red Crescent, Dubai Branch Manager, told Gulf News that “Everyone was surprised by such a huge initiative, but there is plenty of positive response from everyone, not just from within the UAE, but even from other countries… it is a very positive start.”
He added that many people are tweeting about the campaign and with all this response, “it seems that we would really reach the goal of dressing one million needy children by the end of the campaign.”
Al Haj Zarouni emphasized that the first beneficiaries of the campaign will be Syrian refugee children in Jordan followed by children in Bosnia.
Dress one million needy children is in collaboration with the Emirates Red Crescent, which has long experience in the field of international humanitarian action and has representatives in many of the world’s poor countries and is present in many areas with refugee camps.
Saba Aizaz, Pakistani Sharjah resident, said that she received the text message from the campaign with directions for donations. “It’s a really good initiative. Its a nice way to get the community to help the needy.”
She wishes that such initiatives would be done through out the year.
Halimah Suwaidan, who also received the message said that she think it’s a great initiative and that sending a message is very helpful as she “always love looking for charity campaigns and projects to give to.”
Khalfan Khalifa Al Mazroui, Chairman of Dar Al Ber Society, said that initiative reflects the humanitarian side of Shaikh Mohammad, which inspires people who work in field of charity and philanthropy and that was seen before through many charity campaigns.
“This initiative came in the right time, as in Ramadan as people try to do more good deeds and those good deeds are multiplied during the holy month.” Al Mazroui said.
He added that this campaign will spread hope in the hearts of young children that need new clothes for Eid. “Shaikh Mohammad always focuses his charity work on children, as he sees that they are vulnerable and need care and support.”
