Dubai: The Digital School, an initiative of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation, has honoured its partners from government entities and private sector organizations for their significant contributions to the “Donate Your Own Device” initiative.
The campaign, launched in collaboration with the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) under the theme “Donate to Educate,” has successfully collected over 50,000 electronic devices. This recognition coincides with World E-Waste Day, observed annually on October 14, and is part of the UAE’s Year of Sustainability.
The event was attended by Omar Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, Digital Economy, and Remote Work Applications, and Chairman of The Digital School’s Board of Directors; Dr. Hamdan Al Mazrouei, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Red Crescent; Saeed Al Eter, Assistant Secretary General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives; members of The Digital School’s Board of Directors; and several senior officials and key partners of the initiative.
During the event, the major contributors to the success of the “Donate Your Own Device” campaign were recognized, including the Ministry of Health and Prevention, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Dubai Police, Roads and Transport Authority (Dubai), Dubai Municipality, Emirates NBD, American University of Sharjah, Masdar, e&, Emirates, and DP World Foundation.
Dubai Police received The Digital School Sustainability Badge Flag for being the largest contributor to the “Donate Your Own Device” campaign, reflecting its commitment to both societal and environmental responsibility. The event also highlighted the key achievements of the campaign, which collected over 50,000 electronic devices, equivalent to 120 tons of used devices. The reusable devices were refurbished, while the non-reusable ones were safely recycled.
Empowering underprivileged
Omar Sultan Al Olama emphasized that empowering underprivileged students with advanced learning solutions is a key goal of The Digital School’s initiatives worldwide. These efforts aim to provide future-oriented education, enabling new generations to acquire high levels of skills and knowledge to build a better future for their communities.
He noted that the initiative aligns with the leadership’s vision of promoting sustainability and has successfully reshaped education by offering a sustainable digital learning model accessible to students worldwide. This supports the achievement of sustainability goals related to education and the environment, as well as the humanitarian goal of reaching underprivileged students and creating a conducive learning environment in areas where educational opportunities are limited.
He praised the partners from government entities and private sector organizations that contributed to the success of the “Donate Your Own Device” campaign, which collected over 50,000 devices that were either refurbished or recycled. He added that The Digital School aims to continue and expand the campaign in the coming years to achieve sustainability and enhance digital education. He confirmed that the campaign will now become a permanent initiative, allowing entities, institutions, and individuals to donate their old devices to provide learning tools for students globally.
A Milestone in education
Dr. Hamdan Al Mazrouei asserted that under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE has prioritized education as the primary tool for achieving sustainable development and spreading knowledge and learning worldwide.
He highlighted that The Digital School is one of the pioneering educational initiatives launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. It reflects the UAE’s commitment to advancing global sustainable development goals, particularly Goal 4, which focuses on ensuring quality education for all.
Dr Al Mazrouei pointed out that The Digital School has introduced a transformative shift in online education by creating a cutting-edge education system that leverages information technology and artificial intelligence to meet the needs of students in underprivileged areas, including refugee camps and displaced communities. This has been made possible through strategic collaboration between the ERC and The Digital School, reaching students in 14 countries worldwide.
He also emphasized the campaign’s environmental benefits by repurposing donated computers and smart devices, which are used in The Digital School’s educational programs. This contributes to the UAE’s Year of Sustainability goals by combining humanitarian and environmental efforts.
Exceptional success
The “Donate Your Own Device” campaign aims to achieve educational, humanitarian, and environmental goals in line with the UAE’s Year of Sustainability. Environmentally, the campaign has prevented 120 tons of e-waste and reduced carbon emissions by 122,000 kilograms. It has also saved 170,000 liters of fuel, supporting the UAE’s efforts to reduce reliance on non-renewable resources. The campaign has protected 32,000 square feet of land from toxic metal contamination caused by improperly disposed electronic devices.
In terms of its educational impact, the campaign has provided digital learning opportunities to thousands of underprivileged students in 14 countries: Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Mauritania, Lebanon, Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Colombia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Mongolia. By addressing the digital divide, the campaign has equipped students with modern tools to pursue contemporary education.
The campaign has additionally supported the circular economy in the UAE by turning electronic waste into useful resources. Instead of discarding damaged devices, they have been recycled and repurposed to extend the life cycle of products, reducing the need for new resource extraction and minimizing pollution.
Sustainable digital education
The “Donate Your Own Device” campaign has received significant engagement from government entities, private enterprises, academic institutions, and community members, serving as a model for community partnership and collaboration across various sectors. More than 100 institutions have participated in the donation efforts, with the campaign originally targeting 10,000 used devices to be refurbished or recycled after being collected from individuals and organizations. This educational, humanitarian, and environmental initiative aims to support the educational journey of underprivileged students at The Digital School.
The Digital School will continue its “Donate Your Own Device” campaign in its second phase, welcoming contributions of used devices or financial donations through official channels managed in collaboration with the ERC. Donations can be made through the campaign’s website, https://www.donateyourowndevice.org, or by sending an SMS to 2441 for Etisalat users or 3551 for du users.
The campaign was launched to support the UAE’s Year of Sustainability goals. The Digital School has partnered with specialized organizations, such as “Ecyclex,” to refurbish collected devices following best practices to provide digital learning tools for students.
Empowering communities
The Digital School, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in November 2020 under the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, is the first accredited digital school of its kind. It aims to empower students with digital learning options in areas where educational conditions are lacking. It also offers a flexible and smart solution for blended and remote learning, targeting underprivileged communities, refugees, and displaced persons through modern and innovative educational content.
The Digital School adopts a comprehensive approach to digital transformation in education, focused on expanding educational opportunities through digital learning, particularly in remote and developing areas lacking proper educational infrastructure. The school continues to expand, currently benefiting more than 160,000 students across 14 countries, including Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Mauritania, Lebanon, Colombia, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Angola, Namibia, Lesotho, Zambia, Madagascar, and South Africa. It has also trained over 3,000 digital teachers, and its educational and training content is available in five languages: Arabic, English, French, Spanish, and Kurdish.
