It's a feeling I can't describe: UAE frontline heroes' kids get full school scholarships

Frontline heroes in the UAE are overwhelmed with gratitude as their children’s education costs are taken care of, thanks to a scholarship programme.

Called ‘Hayyakum’, the scholarships cover the cost of tuition, laptops and transportation until the students graduate from high school.

In a video shared by the Frontline Heroes Office, two healthcare workers thank His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for the programme.

“It’s a feeling I can’t describe in words,” says Manal Ali Abdulrahman, a clinical resource nurse at the Ambulatory Healthcare Services.

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A nurse, Suheir Abuhasnah, says she knows her son is in “safe hands”.

“We are very grateful to the UAE government and the UAE leadership for making our lives easier,” she says.

Manal’s daughter, Foton, and Suheir’s son, Jawad, say they will have a bright future thanks to the scheme.

About 1,850 children of frontline healthcare professionals across the UAE have received the scholarships.

The scholarship scheme was launched under the directives of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed.

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Hayyakum aims to provide the children of frontline healthcare professionals with high quality education and alleviate the financial stress they face. The ultimate goal is the “long-term retention of frontline healthcare professionals in the UAE”.

The Frontline Heroes Office — which was established in July 2020 — supports a comprehensive range of frontline professionals, including medical and non-medical staff working in the health sector; as well as protection and prevention, security and emergency, and sanitisation workers.