Dubai: The UAE Water Aid campaign (UAE Suqia) organising committee has announced that the humanitarian initiative will conclude on Wednesday, So far, more than Dh121.09 million has been raised in just 14 days. The campaign needs Dh3.91 million to reach its Dh125million target.
The announcement came after a meeting by the UAE Water Aid campaign committee chaired by Mohammad Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs, to discuss the achievements of the campaign.
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 the first day of Ramadan to provide access to fresh drinking water to five million people around the world who suffer from shortage of drinking water across 60 countries.
It is estimated that one child dies due to water-released illnesses every 21 seconds.
Al Gergawi praised the success of the campaign since its launch two weeks ago. The public and public sector and individuals have so far donated more than Dh121.09 million to provide drinking water to 4.84 million. This represents about 97 per cent of the goal.
Al Gergawi said this achievement in such a short time highlights the extent of UAE residents’ awareness of their humanitarian responsibilities.
Level of participation
He added that the massive response and the level of participation confirms that the UAE is building on the foundations set by Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
Emirates Red Crescent has been implementing the project in areas badly in need of water so they can have their own wells, water pumps, and water purification equipment since June 29.
The countries that benefited in the first phase of the aid were Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Niger, Somalia, Ghana, Sudan, Indonesia, Togo, and Iraq.
“Fifty wells have been completed in these countries, mainly in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan as of today. There are more to come,” Mohammad Abdullah Al Haj Al Zarouni, head of the Emirates Red Crescent’s Dubai branch, told Gulf News.
“We are still in the process of digging 20 wells, installing tanks and solar panels to provide electricity for the water pumps in India. It’s taking a while in other countries because different governments have different protocols. But everybody knows that when Red Crescent starts something, we complete it.”
Al Zarouni lauded the government and private sector as well as the individuals who donated to the cause. “I was surprised to learn that with the SMS donations alone, some Dh8 million was collected from UAE nationals, Indians, Filipinos, from everybody. This shows everyone knows the value of water – how it supports life not only of one person but of an entire village.”
One of many programmes
The UAE Water Aid campaign is just one of the many humanitarian campaigns launched in the UAE. The UAE has given foreign aid in relation to water problems totalling Dh1.01 billion from 2009 to 2013. The programmes were implemented in various projects in 61 countries across the globe, according to reports issued by the Ministry of Development and International Cooperation.
— With inputs from WAM