Dubai Cares and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation partner to improve the lives of children in developing countries

The memorandum of cooperation was signed today in Dubai by Reem Al Hashimy, Chairperson of Dubai Cares, and Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Gates Foundation.

Speaking on the occasion of the signing, Al Hashimy said:

"Dubai Cares is pleased to be part of this strategic alliance with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This alliance stems from a shared commitment to help underprivileged children break free from the cycle of poverty - a challenge, we feel, is best addressed by providing access to primary education. Dubai Cares looks forward to collectively implementing innovative solutions founded on the full value chain of education, a value chain in which the Gates Foundation's health and development experience and expertise will contribute to making a lasting impact on the ground."

"The challenges facing developing countries are far greater than any single government or foundation can overcome alone - collaboration is critical to success," said Bill Gates. "We look forward to working with Dubai Cares, and we hope that their dedication and generosity will inspire others around the world to support efforts to improve the lives of people in developing countries."

The agreement represents a commitment by Dubai Cares and the Gates Foundation to collaborate and co-fund programs that advance their distinct but related missions. Dubai Cares focuses on improving primary education in developing countries, while the Gates Foundation's work in the developing world focuses on improving health and accelerating development.

These priorities are highly complementary: for example, primary schools provide one of the best opportunities to deliver health services to children, and improving children's health has a positive impact on their ability to excel in school.

The partners will share knowledge on each organization's approach to addressing the needs and problems of developing nations.