200,000 pupils take part in campaign

Dubai: More than 200,000 Dubai pupils are believed to have participated in the Dubai Cares campaign, raising approximately Dh12 million for the programme that will provide education to one million children in poor countries, an education official said.

In the closing ceremony for the campaign, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, started his speech by singling out pupils and schools for their contribution to Dubai Cares.

"I'd like to thank the thousands of students, boys and girls, who contributed to Dubai Cares as volunteers and participants," Shaikh Mohammad said.

Dr Abdullah Al Karam, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), said Shaikh Mohammad's interest in pupils being active in the campaign started "from day one.

"We knew that the campaign would be for students and by students," he told Gulf News.

Coordination

He said that the KHDA had set up a mechanism to coordinate donation campaigns with the school, designating 20 "champions" from the KHDA to communicate with champions designated by 150 Dubai schools.

The amount raised from schools reached about Dh18 million, with about Dh12 million coming from charity coupons the pupils sold, he said.

Dr Al Karam added that the campaign was empowering for young pupils because it allowed them to contribute to a cause "instead of just feeling sorry about it".

Pupils responded to the campaign with excitement and enthusiasm. For Emirati pupil Noura Mohammad, the campaign was her first experience with a major charity event.

"It's rewarding to be part of this campaign and now I am motivated to do charity work. I am privileged to a have a family that can afford my education and the world is privileged to have visionary men like Shaikh Mohammad."

British pupil Emma Jones said charity work was part of her daily activities and that she was passionate about helping people find opportunities in life. The 17-year-old said the campaign would help eradicate poverty as "there isn't anything more powerful than knowledge".