Dubai: As many as 28 Emirati designers gathered at the ‘Designs of Hope’ charity exhibition held at the Dubai Ladies Club on Wednesday for raising funds for quality education for girls in need.
The exhibition’s fifth edition is held under the patronage of Shaikha Manal Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, president of the Dubai Ladies Club.
The bridal edition, which runs until May 7, is featuring over 100 luxury brand and pre-loved wedding dresses donated by bridal designers, retailers, influencers and members of the public. The donated items will be sold at a 50 to 70 per cent markdown from original retail prices.
Hosted in partnership with social enterprise and online boutique ‘Brides do Good,’ the exhibition is also featuring 1,000 designer abayas and kaftans donated by 28 distinguished UAE fashion labels, being sold at an exclusive price of Dh1,000 each.
The event was inaugurated by Hessa Bint Eisa Bu Humaid, Minister of Community Development.
Funds raised from the exhibition will go towards Al Manal Humanitarian Initiative’s ‘teacHER’ campaign to support a comprehensive educational programme in Ethiopia, providing quality education for almost 40,000 refugees and local children.
Chantal Khoueiry, founder of Brides do Good, said up to two-thirds of the proceeds from the dresses sold in the exhibition will be used to fund educational projects in Ethiopia for young girls aged 4-13 years in the Gambella refugee camps. “All proceeds will go to our charity partner Plan International, a global charity that focuses on empowering young girls. We together can empower young girls to make their own choices in life, to stay in education and choose who they want to marry,” she said.
Khoueiry called on women to join the movement and help “give a voice to the voiceless”.
“I believe we, as Arab women in this Arab region, together can move mountains and make history … Our mission is to connect women and protect young girls,” she added.
Emirati influencer Mathayel Al Ali contributed to the cause by donating her Dh80,000 Oscar de la Renta wedding dress to the exhibition.
“I donated my dress because the idea of the exhibition resonated with my values and my will to help girls around the world. Women empowerment is one of the causes I really look up to, this gave me a good reason to take it out of my closet and make a change with it,” she told Gulf News.
Al Ali said she hopes to have spread inspiration among others in the society to make a change through a small contribution to the cause.
“Here in the UAE, we are in a very privileged country with good education, health care and basic needs. So having empathy and sympathy for those who don’t, and being able to help them through a small gesture goes a long way,” she added.
Meanwhile, Lamia Abdul Aziz Khan, director of the Dubai Ladies Club, said the exhibition has supported a variety of causes through its five editions starting with 2013, ranging from child blindness to girl’s education.
“Education empowers girls with awareness on rights, responsibilities and opportunities, encouraging their participation in society with a positive ripple effect on those around them and their nations,” she said.
The Qelada project
The Qelada project, who also participated in the exhibition, is a part of the Ministry of Community Development’s efforts to support and empower people of determination. The project works on improving their skills, unleashing their creativity and integrating them into the labour market.
Hessa Bint Eisa Bu Humaid, Minister of Community Development, referred to the participation of people of determination in the ‘Qelada’ initiative, stressing they have proved that innovation in the UAE is not exclusive to anyone as long as the individual has the will and determination to achieve aspirations.
Developed in cooperation with the UAE Central Bank, Qelada is the first project of its kind in the country and involves recycling UAE dirham banknote scraps to create jewellery. A percentage of Qelada’s proceeds will go towards the ‘teacHER’ campaign.
Charity exhibition
Event: ‘Designs of Hope’ charity exhibition
Date: May 2-7
Venue: Dubai Ladies Club
