UAE children dominate efforts to mobilise supplies for Gazans

Dubai: "We want it to stop and we want to see children in Gaza safe and healthy like us," said Zainab Hassan, an East African 9-year-old, as he referred to Israel's onslaught against Gaza.

Zainab is volunteering for the Dubai Cares initiative to help the children of Gaza.

Surrounded by crowds of volunteers of various backgrounds, four children from East Africa sat on the ground, packing school supplies for Gaza's estimated 275,000 pupils of primary school age.

This initiative emphasises the Dubai Cares commitment to the 'United Front against Aggression in Gaza' - a campaign based on the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Enthusiastic about the role they are playing, 9-year-old Abbas Mahmoud from Tanzania is also taking part in the volunteer initiative as he was saddened by children in Gaza, who he said looked "unhappy" on television.

Another child, 11-year-old Emma Taylor sounded very determined, saying: "I don't why this is happening and no one seems to do something to stop it. I am here to send school kits and I am here because I want it to stop."

Dubai Cares procured supplies for 50,000 school kits and 50,000 hygiene kits as part of its effort to mobilise emergency aid for Gaza.

The charity appealed earlier this week to the residents of the UAE to volunteer to help assemble the procured relief supplies into kits for immediate shipment to Gaza.

Eman Kinani, 9, said she is "sad and furious about what is happening to the children of Gaza.

"I watch the news with my parents because we children have to help each other."