Dubai: Al Jalila Foundation aims to raise Dh100 million for the year 2013, revealed the foundation’s CEO Dr Abdul Kareem Sultan Al Olama on Sunday.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, issued Law No 10 of 2012 which stipulates that the foundation will be a non-profitable entity aimed at improving health care services in the UAE.
“We aim to raise Dh100 million for the year 2013 in order to fulfill our main strategies that are focused on providing medical scholarships, funding medical research as well as treatment. Since we are a non-profit organisation we will be depending on donations from the public,” said Olama
The foundation will establish a donation fund that will collect public and private organisation’s donations. The foundation’s board will also set up a fund management committee to oversee the fund’s functions and operations for a renewable term of three years.
“We will have donation boxes stationed at petrol stations and malls, people can also donate on our website. We are confident that we will achieve our target because the people of the UAE are known to be generous” added Olama.
Other than granting scholarships and financing medical research aimed at enhancing excellence in the medical field in the UAE, donations raised by the fund will also go towards medical publications and conferences.
“We want people to get involved in raising money for the foundation because we want to create a culture that is aware of the importance of medical research and how vital it is in helping the UAE become a pioneer in the medical field.” He added
Olama believes that the foundation will achieve Dh100 million budget since it already has received a number of donations.
Easa Saleh Al Gurg (ESAG) Charity Foundation donated Dh10 million to Al Jalila Foundation.
The foundation will also focus on granting scholarships for Emirati citizens and encouraging researchers and research institutions by granting them awards and cash prizes.
Al Jalila Foundation also hopes to provide assistance to the needy from various nationalities in the country and abroad.
Noor Nazzal is a trainee at Gulf News
