Omniyat Holdings welcomes phase one of Dubai Cares' education project

Dubai Cares raised an incredible Dhs3.4bn ($926.4m) in 2007, in an eight-week fundraising campaign; where Omniyat donated Dhs50m to the cause, with Dhs5m pledged annually, for the next 10 years.

The UAE-based charity is the world's largest charity dedicated to improving primary school education in the world's poorest countries.

The establishment of Dubai Cares is a visionary call-to-action from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, for the UAE to support a common cause to help eradicate illiteracy by the building and renovation of schools and classrooms, as well as equipping schools with adequate resources for underprivileged primary-aged children.

Omniyat said in a statement: "This announcement highlights His Highness Sheikh Mohammed's absolute commitment to improve the livelihood of children in third world countries. This action is wholeheartedly embraced by Omniyat Holdings, as we strongly believe that it is the corporate duty of companies such as ours to support such worthwhile activities. This is underscored by our mission and core value, to improve people's lives and help them 'live the future' with hope and opportunities."

Phase One commences with twelve countries chosen to receive support from Dubai Cares. They are Bangladesh, Bosnia, Chad, Comoros Islands, Djibouti, Maldives, Mauritania, Niger, Pakistan, occupied Palestinian territories, Sudan and Yemen; with funds also going to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. This assistance will include building new schools, refurbishing existing facilities and providing medical services and clean drinking water, as part of the charity's goal of educating one million children.