Malaysian refugee-supporting charity wins Sharjah award

Sharjah - The Dignity for Children Foundation also received Dh500,000 as part of the award to help continue its humanitarian efforts.

The Dignity for Children Foundation in Malaysia was announced the winner of the second Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support on Thursday.
During the ceremony, His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, also donated $1 million (Dh3.67 million) to the foundation in recognition of its humanitarian efforts in educating over 7,000 refugee children since its establishment.
The Dignity for Children Foundation also received Dh500,000 as part of the award to help continue its humanitarian efforts in guiding children to integrate well within their communities post-conflict and wars.
The award, under the patronage of The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Eminent Advocate for Refugee Children, recognises humanitarian efforts to save lives in Asia, Middle East and North Africa and motivates helping hands around the world to continue their efforts.
Receiving the award from Dr Sheikh Sultan, Elisha Satvinder, co-founder of the Dignity for Children Foundation, said every year, the foundation receives about 900 refugee children from different countries including Syria, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, who strive to receive their education in Malaysia. Some of the children are now graduated and reside in the US, Hong Kong and London. 
"We started with a Rohingya boy called Mohammed Yaseen 20 years ago. He couldn't read and write and the first thing we taught him was how to write his name. Imagine a life with illiteracy, where you have no identity, education or ability to write your own name," Satvinder told the crowd.
"After learning how to write his name, Mohammed Yaseen told two more of his friends about the school and soon we had a full class of refugees. Today, we have educated over 7,000 children, some of them graduated from distinguished universities and pursued successful careers," he said. The foundation has been providing quality education, extracurricular activities and training courses to refugee children. Satvinder said it recognises the right for every child to receive education and be empowered in their societies regardless of race, gender or ethnicity.
As part of the award, TBHF will promote the winner's efforts to support and advocate refugees among local and international media and organisations relevant to refugees and humanitarian action.
In his address, Filippo Grandi, UNHCR High Commissioner, said through the efforts of the Sharjah ruling family, more than 800,000 people have been supported over the years.
The huge proportion of refugees, he said, have reached 70 million people around the world who were pushed away from homes by conflict and war. "They were obliged to make one of the most difficult choices that any human can make anywhere in the world - to leave behind everything that you love. There are still people who have to make that choice every day," said Grandi.
He added that the award recognises those who help individuals to remind people to stop looking at numbers and political issues. "There are tragedies that affect individuals like you and me who live in region around us," he said. "It is important to remind us that giving, mobilising resources and advocating refugees and the poor is the responsibility of us all."
 
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com
 

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