Every dirham counts

Everyday, 22,000 children die quietly in some of the poorest villages of the world as they lose the fight against poverty. Living in a world away from lavish buffet spreads and opulent Iftar gatherings, one meal is all it means in their fight for survival.

For many Muslims around the world, Ramadan marks a month of giving and helping the less fortunate. Local charities and philanthropic organisations are leading the way for people in the UAE to make charity with ease. From feeding a child to building mosques, organisations in the UAE leave no stone unturned in their quest to raise funds during the holy month. For Dubai Cares, a UAE-based philanthropic organisation, the goal is fairly simple — ‘End Poverty, Educate Now’.

“Most of our funding takes place during Ramadan and we hope to see more people come forward and support our initiatives. It is the best month to reach out to Muslims, and the UAE community in particular has been very active in giving Sadaqah (voluntary charity),” said Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares TV commercials, cinema ads and events in Dubai Mall will create awareness about the campaign which will run throughout the campaign. “We are proud of our projects and the way we have designed change initiatives. People have to be aware of the needs of the international community,” he added. Out of the 2.2 billion children around the world, one billion live in poverty.

The campaign by Dubai Cares will aim at spreading awareness on the importance of education, as one of the most effective tools in breaking the cycle of poverty. SMS donation by mobile phone users remains popular among the UAE residents as people can donate by sending the word ‘donation’ to 9030. The organisation does not accept Zakat money as it caters to people from all faiths.

“Our job at Dubai Cares it to create a global impact by providing access to education. The money raised will be used in various initiatives supported by our organisation and it goes for a good cause,” said Tariq.