Dubai: Dubai Cares will be providing volunteering opportunities to 4,250 residents in the UAE throughout 2017, the ‘Year of Giving,’ it was announced on Thursday.
The volunteering opportunities will be organised locally and globally as part of its well-established initiatives such as Volunteer Emirates, Walk for Education and Volunteer Globally, as well as new initiatives to be announced throughout the year.
The initiatives will allow volunteers to devote their time and energy towards improving the life of the underprivileged children and also will give both private and public sector companies the opportunity to financially contribute through customised partnership opportunities, they said.
Dubai Cares said among the first initiatives on its agenda for 2017 is ‘Volunteer Emirates’, which is being planned for February 4 at Al Manama Private Charity School in Ajman.
Each edition of the initiative witnesses 100-125 volunteers, led by Dubai Cares, working together to enhance the learning environment in a UAE-based non-profit school.
This initiative usually receives widespread support from the local community every year, with volunteers participating in maintenance work as well as adding a dash of colour to reinvigorate the general ambience of the school.
Three other editions of the same initiative are planned in March, November and December, they announced.
‘The Walk of Education’ is another initiative on the organisation’s calendar of events, which will take place on February 17 at Dubai Creek Park. The three-kilometre walk aims to highlight one of the challenges children face in acquiring quality education in developing countries where they have to walk an average of three kilometres every day in order to go to school.
‘Volunteer Globally’ will be organised in November 2017. This initiative will be a week-long mission involving 15 UAE-based volunteers travelling to one of the disadvantaged communities around the world to assist in the construction of a school for the local community.
Tareq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, said, “In light of this noble initiative, Dubai Cares will certainly contribute to the success of the ‘Year of Giving’ by organising a number of local and international volunteering and community engagement initiatives that will help improve the lives of children and adolescents by providing them the gift of education. We strongly encourage the UAE community to participate and support our initiatives which offer a unique opportunity to truly engage in a great cause.”
Dubai Cares announced making available a number of partnership opportunities that offer both private and public sector organisations the chance to contribute to the ‘Year of Giving’ customised to fit their CSR agenda both locally and internationally.
These initiatives not only allow organisations to financially contribute, but also provide their stakeholders with an opportunity to support by putting in time and effort through volunteering. As an example, Dubai Cares’ Adopt a School initiative will allow organisations to choose one of the selected countries to build and equip a school as well as send their employees to volunteer their time to kick-start the building efforts alongside the local community.
Dubai Cares’ database of volunteers, supporters, and donors currently includes 33,000 individuals, with 2016 witnessing the participation of 1,215 volunteers and 10,500 supporters. Dubai Cares’ volunteers come from diverse backgrounds but share a passion for volunteering and community service.
