Dubai: GEMS Winchester School Dubai and GEMS Jumeirah Primary School in Dubai have collectively raised over Dh300,000 for various charity programmes under the aegis of Dubai Cares this Ramadan.
Student, parents and teachers of the two schools — both part of the GEMS Education group — raised the funds through various programmes.
GEMS Winchester School Dubai raised money for the Dubai Cares ‘Education in Emergencies’ appeal and GEMS Jumeirah Primary School supported the Dubai Cares’ ‘Adopt a School’ programme.
Tariq Al Gurg, CEO of Dubai Cares, said: “It’s wonderful to see schoolchildren so engaged with important issues such as universal access to quality education. I would like to thank the students, parents, teachers and school management of Jumeirah Primary School and GEMS Winchester School Dubai who have contributed to bringing hope in a better future for vulnerable and disadvantaged children and young people around the world by providing them with an opportunity to go to school and learn.”
The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of Jumeirah Primary School hosted its ninth Annual Spring Fair, which is a charity event. This year, the PTA had chosen to support the Dubai Cares ‘Adopt a School’ programme of building a school in Jordan for Syrian refugees. This is a two-year project and the school donated Dh202,000 towards building the facility, where 200 children will have access to education.
Rachel Higgins, principal and CEO of GEMS Jumeirah Primary School, said: “Once again I could not be prouder of the GEMS Jumeirah Primary School family serving not only our own community but affecting the lives of others around the world. It is truly wonderful to be building our third school paid for entirely by our families through the Spring Fair. We are excited to be able to visit this school once built and to meet the children and adults who are continuing their education thanks to the efforts of our PTA. Together we can make a change and everything is possible.”
Each year, a group of students from GEMS Winchester School Dubai were asked to choose an activity that they could run to raise funds. To end the fund-raising for the year, the school joined forces with the parents and arranged a Global Fair in May that attracted around 5,000 parents.
Matthew Lecuyer, principal of GEMS Winchester School Dubai, said: “We are proud of each and every member of our school community who have come together and have shown true charitable kindness. It is such an honour to be working and learning alongside compassionate and caring global citizens here at GEMS Winchester School Dubai. The students, families and staff have all shown true generosity in our quest to raise money for the Dubai Cares charity. Our goal of Dh80,000 was smashed as we raised over Dh103,014.25 through varying events. Student leadership and community links were at the heart of the matter, organising and running theme days, house days, book sales and, of course, the highly successful Spring Fair that saw over 6,000 people in attendance.”
