Covid in UAE: Nurseries in RAK affected by pandemic receive financial aid

Ras Al Khaimah - The aid has been distributed to all nurseries that submitted applications and qualified for support.

The Ras Al Khaimah government has provided financial aid to private nurseries in the emirate that were temporarily closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The aid has been distributed to all nurseries that submitted applications and qualified for support, the RAK Media Office said.

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“Many of these nurseries are fully operational after implementing guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP),” a press release said.

The initiative was launched following a directive from His Highness Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, and is one of many rolled out by his government to support businesses and other entities affected by Covid-19.

Dr Mohamed Abdullatif Khalifa, secretary-general of the Ras Al Khaimah Executive Council, said, “Research shows that supporting early childhood education not only enhances the opportunities for future generations but also enables greater participation of women in the workforce.”

He added, “The initiative is crucial to RAK’s long-term development. The financial support provided by the RAK Government will help ensure that the Emirate’s private nurseries continue to thrive as we move towards a post-pandemic new normal.”

Helen V John, the manager of Kinderwood Nursery at Khuzam in RAK, said her nursery has been closed for the past 11 months.

“The financial support has been crucial for us in reopening the nursery,” she said. “It’s of huge help to our industry and will support our students at a crucial time of their development, which has suffered due to the pandemic.”

“We'll be using the funds to buy extra resources for the children, for renovations, and for staff training,” she added.

Amin Humood, manager of Little Dream Nursery, said, “The last year has been extremely difficult for us. The support really means a lot to us, and we now plan to reopen one of our branches within the next two months. If this support hadn’t come, we wouldn’t have been able to reopen.”

Last year, the RAK government’s comprehensive stimulus package backed thousands of companies in the emirate by offering businesses fee exemptions, payment deferrals and penalty waivers.

The package was followed up by several other initiatives to ensure business continuity across all sectors.

• Ras Al Khaimah