Out of the 2.2 billion children around the world, 1 billion live in poverty. According to UNESCO, education is the best possible investment against exclusion, inequalities and poverty, and if all children in poor countries could read, global poverty would fall by 12%. In another move to address these daunting figures, Dubai Cares today announced the launch of its 2013 “End Poverty. Educate Now.” campaign, which will run throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan to spread awareness of the importance of education, as one of the most effective tools to break the cycle of poverty. The campaign also aims to raise funds for improving children’s access to quality primary education in developing countries.
Stressing the significance of this campaign, Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares said: “In a knowledge-based world, investment in education is key for countries to build a healthy and equitable society. As a result, the inherent potential of people can be fulfilled, leading to an increase in income levels and a reduction in educational and social disparities caused by poverty. Our “End Poverty. Educate Now.” campaign aims to garner the support of the UAE community in order to improve the lives of underprivileged children globally and help further reduce the number of out of school children which according to UNESCO currently stands at 57 million.”
“The holy month of Ramadan is a very special time for us at Dubai Cares. Through the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Cares was launched 6 years ago during this holy month, gaining tremendous support from the UAE community. Our achievements to date are mostly due to this support, which is enabling us to give children in developing countries the opportunity to become positive contributors to their own communities,” added Al Gurg.
Education can reduce poverty in a number of ways. According to UNESCO, one extra year of schooling increases an individual’s earnings by up to 10%. Studies have also shown that better educated people have a greater probability of being employed and are economically more productive. Additionally, girls’ education in particular, apart from being a basic right, brings social benefits such as improved healthcare for children and greater participation of women in the labor market. UNESCO states in a recent report that a child whose mother can read is 50% more likely to live past age 5.
On this occasion, Dubai Cares has also announced that it is now reaching more than 8 million children in 31 developing countries, building and renovating over 1,500 classrooms, providing more than 1,000 water wells and potable water sources and constructing over 3,000 latrines in schools, providing nutritious food every day to more than 500,000 children in schools, training over 23,000 teachers, keeping more than 2.3 million children free from intestinal worms through its de-worming activities, distributing over 2.1 million books written in local languages and establishing over 6,750 Parent-Teacher Associations.
The UAE community, both individuals and corporates are invited to get involved in Dubai Cares’ “End Poverty. Educate Now.” campaign by:
- Adding AED 5 or more to their purchase at participating retailers in The Dubai Mall
- Visiting the “Education makes the difference” interactive stand at the Star Atrium – The Dubai Mall and making a difference in the lives of children around the world
- Donating via SMS by sending the word "donation" to 9030, 9090, 9300, 9600 and 9900 to donate AED 30, AED 90, AED 300, AED 600 or AED 900 respectively (etisalat and du)
- Donating through special Ramadan promotions at the following participating retail outlets: Damas, Level Shoe District in The Dubai Mall and Lulu Hypermarket
- Making online donations at www.dubaicares.ae
- Conducting personal fundraising activities in support of Dubai Cares through www.justgiving.com/dubaicares. “Just Giving” is an online charity platform where people can raise money for a cause.
- Making a direct financial donation through bank deposit to Dubai Cares account or with a cheque addressed to Dubai Cares
- Dropping their contributions at donation boxes placed in various locations throughout Dubai