Dubai: A UAE gift giving initiative for the Year of Zayed saw schoolchildren and residents sharing a gift with underprivileged children around the world under the “from UAE with love” initiative by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
The event, which was launched on Saturday at City Centre Mirdif, runs until March 19.
The initiative aims to collect gift boxes that people can fill with children’s toys. The toys will be sent to underprivileged children in Syria through the UAE Red Crescent.
“This shows how children in the UAE care for their neighbouring countries. I hope the condition of people [in Syria] will become better by this small help from us,” said Rafia Zafar Ali, principal of Leaders Private School in Sharjah whose students and faculty were one of the first groups to support the initiative.
“There are no limits to what we can do for ourselves and for others. As we begin to put the needs of others before ourselves we start to learn how much more we can achieve,” said Mathew Farthing, principal of Nord Anglia International School Dubai, one of the key supporters of the initiative.
The boxes will also serve as letters of encouragement from UAE residents to children in underprivileged areas and will be distributed globally through the UAE-based charity.
“Through each box, many children around the world will find hope and happiness, and at the same time it will show the world the generous qualities of the people in the UAE,” said Suhail Al Bastaki, Happiness & Marketing Director of Union Coop.
Participants are encouraged to make an impact and collect or drop off their boxes at the mall venue where children can also take part in activities from 10am to 9pm.
“This gift giving initiative inspires new means to spread the spirit of philanthropy while making donations easy and accessible. We are thrilled to play our part to distribute these much-needed gifts to the underprivileged children and brighten up their spirits. This is just one of the great ways of how we can support our communities,” said Maha Kanoo of The Kanoo Group.
