A decade of pragmatic philanthropy was marked by Dubai Cares on Thursday and it is important to underline the pragmatism that is the driving force of this outreach because for philanthropy to be truly effective, it has to be demonstrable in its qualitative and quantitative impact. And on both these counts, Dubai Cares has achieved stunning successes over the last ten years.
Launched in September 2007 by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with the aim of improving children’s access to quality primary education in developing countries, the organisation has effected positive changes in 16 million children in 45 developing countries. This endeavour is an expansive effort that includes building and renovating classrooms, providing books, basic infrastructure in schools, teacher training and primary health care. The guiding philosophy of Dubai Cares is predicated on the oldest tenet of progress — enabling proper education for every child as a long-term solution for global good.
One of the significant aspects of Dubai Cares’ philanthropic vision that needs particular mention is its commitment to micro-engagement with the communities whose needs are being addressed. Every local community’s needs are studied, assessed and accordingly, interventions are designed. This is a critical best practice because while resources are a common requirement, the utilisation and type of resources are entirely specific to individual communities. Each of the 45 countries that Dubai Cares reaches out to has its own unique socio-cultural and socio-economic ecosystem and understanding and adapting to this specificity is what will lead to the desired results.
It is a testimony to the exceptional commitment of the organisation that it recognises this truth and upholds it at every step in its distinguished journey.
