UAE announces over 1400 initiatives for National Year of Giving

Charity. Ajman introduced 113 initiatives, distributed among various areas and communities, in order to achieve the objectives of the Year of Giving.

Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Ajman said, "The Year of Giving is a testament to the seeds sown by Sheikh Zayed; instilling goodness deeper in our culture has become a national mission. We are happy to do our part to improve our people’s standard of living while simultaneously contributing to the sustainable development of the nation."

He added, "In line with Ajman Vision 2021, which is based on the idea of creating a happy society, we are keen to instill a culture of giving that does not discriminate or exclude anyone, by implementing a range of initiatives that promote goodness and generosity."

Some initiatives that will be introduced in Ajman include "The Giving Duty", an initiative that invites volunteers to help the elderly, in collaboration with government institutions.

Other initiatives will be initiated in the education realm sector, including the "CSR Diploma", a professional diploma in the field of Corporate Social responsibility, which will be offered for the first time in the 2017/18 academic year to all students at Ajman University. Another initiative in this realm is titled the "Education Fund", and will offer students help and support with tuition fees.

Another initiative is titled "Positive Leaders", and includes enlisting 12 male and female Ajman government employees in a programme in line with Ajman Vision 2021, that aims to create positive leaders that can improve their positivity and leadership skills.

Furthermore, Ajman will develop ‘green economy’ policies in order to attract economic investments that take into account the principles of environmental sustainability and community development. As such, the "Ajman Award for Social Responsibility" will be introduced.

In Ras Aal -Khaimah, Dr. Mohammed Abdul Latif Khalifa, Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Ras Aal -Khaimah, said "Ras al-Khaimah has adopted a wide range of initiatives and events that reflect the generous spirit of the UAE, and support the strategic objectives of the Year of Giving."

He added, "In order to ensure the participation of all sectors of society, including education, health, tourism, banking and the non-profit sector, 337 initiatives will be introduced over the strategic, institutional and local levels."

A highlight from the initiatives includes the "Family Stability Initiative", an initiative aimed at speeding up the residential distribution in the al-Riffa area, in less than three months, in order to achieve social stability for all citizens.

The initiatives also include introducing the "RAK Shopping Festival for Charity", where organisations will be invited to offer 1000 discounted services for low-income citizens and residents over an entire week.

The "Innovation Centre for Good" will also be launched, and will conduct studies and host brainstorming sessions to promote the developmental role of charities, as well as the development of CSR, through the provision of innovative methods and business models featured in this field.

The "Construction and Maintenance of Facilities" initiative will also be launched, and will include establishing and maintaining facilities for mental health patients; this initiative aims to support the Obaidullah Hospital’s efforts to improve mental health care, and to promote positive community partnership in this regard. This initiative also aims to set up a sewing facilities to train inmates in penal and correctional institutions in Ras Aal -Khaimah, teaching them a new skill and providing them with the necessary hardware and equipment to do so.

Under the umbrella of this initiatives is also a mission to work on maintenance of mosques, as well as supporting the autism centre by providing the necessary equipment and devices for the facility.

Another initiative is called the "Giving for Development" initiative, and includes donating 15 laptops, based on their needs, to university and college students from low-income families. It also includes upcycling hotel furniture, and giving them to low-income families, and opening a bazaar to display and sell goods by Ras Aal -Khaimah workers.

Under the "Giving for Development" initiative is also an initiative programme to develop an electronic education encyclopaedia, in cooperation with the Ras Aal -Khaimah Education District, as well as to introduce new education methods and make them available to students for free.

In addition, a "Wishes" initiative will be introduced, where a list of wishes by underprivileged students will be shared, and community members will be encouraged to make wishes from the list come true. An initiative to create a "Wedding for Low-Income Communities" will also be organised for the community.

"Social Excellence" initiative will be launched, and will include several measurable categories that can be used to assess and honour outstanding efforts in giving and serving the nation. The categories will include awards at the institutional level for excellence in giving initiatives, as well as at the individual level for outstanding volunteers.

Secretary-General of the Executive Council of Umm al-Qaiwain said, "The spirit of giving is engraved in the hearts of Emiratis, who spare no effort in assisting those in need." He added that, "All initiatives from Umm al-Qaiwain are launched under the directives of H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Umm Al Qaiwain. They seek to strengthen the role of the community in order to achieve the goals for the Year of Giving."

The Umm al-Qaiwain government announced 90 initiatives that promote goodness in the state. Among these initiatives is the "Youth Volunteer Programme", a weekly or monthly agenda that provides youth an opportunity to volunteer to help hospitalised elderly patients. Under this umbrella is another initiative titled the "Good Services" initiative, which provides vehicles for young members of the community to transport people with physical disabilities or the elderly to parks, shopping centres, and other recreational facilities. This initiative also includes the restoration and maintenance of vital facilities, such as parks and playgrounds, in the Emirate.

Another initiative, "Goodness Discounts", will be launched by businessman Abdullah bin Hamid, in collaboration with the Department of Economic Development, includes the provision of discounts at affiliated malls in Umm al-Qaiwain, as well as "Charity Trips", in collaboration with Abdulalh bin Hamid stores, for people from low-income households.

In Fujairah, the local committee for the Year of Giving approved 188 initiatives that aim to serve the local community, and that reflect the goals of the Year of Giving.

Director of the Emiri Diwan of Fujairah and Chairman of the local committee for the Year of Giving said, "The value of giving has been passed through generations in the UAE, who share a strong sense of responsibility. The local committee for The Year of Giving in Fujairah has developed a comprehensive action plan that aims to contribute to the efforts to achieve the goals for the Year of Giving."

He continued, "We will organise weekly and monthly meetings in order to follow up on the initiatives, stressing the importance of consolidating the spirit of volunteerism through special programmes that allow volunteers to provide a valuable service to the people."

Some of the initiatives from Fujairah include "Giving Hands Green Environment", an environmental initiative that urges university students to volunteer in activities such as cleaning parks and beaches, planting trees, and more.

Another initiative is "Restoring old houses for the underprivileged, which aims to restore old houses for widows and people of low-income families.

"Seekers of Knowledge" is another initiative, which includes partnerships between private sectors educational institutions, Ajman University – Fujairah Branch, and the University of Fujairah so that the private sector institutions may provide tuition for outstanding students from low-income families.

The "Volunteer in Fujairah" initiative will also be launched, and will focus on providing people with volunteer opportunities. The initiative will engage government staff in volunteering activities, and instill in them the value of volunteering through open discussions and workshops. A database will also be created for skills-based volunteers, in collaboration with government employees who have been trained in various fields, and will use the data to create skills-based volunteer teams.