OFFICIA SELECTION

Looking to make a difference to the lives of millions, September 3, 2011 saw the Swiss Red Cross Gala Auction make its annual appearance, with the intention of raising a substantial amount of money to pursue its charitable ambitions. Hosted at the Dolder Grand in Zurich, Rami Al Ali took his place amongst an international crowd of business elite and socialites to show his utmost support, highlighted with the donation of a gown from his latest Couture collection, as a contribution to the outstanding array of articles to be auctioned.

This striking gown was recently showcased in Rome, during Al Ali’s Autumn Winter 2011/12 Couture collection show. A strapless, full-length, floor-sweeping style, with a draped and intricately beaded front, Al Ali hoped that this dress would accumulate high interest, so was thrilled to witness a bidding war resulting in the gown raising an impressive 3,100 Swiss Francs (approximately Dhs14,430) for the charity. The winner of the dress further benefitted from a full Couture service, with the dress being tailored to fit their contours perfectly. Al Ali was in high spirits post-event, talking about the charity he said, “I feel privileged to have contributed to such a worthy cause, I really respect the objectives of the Red Cross organisation”.

Founded in 1866 in Bern, Switzerland, the Swiss Red Cross is one of the oldest humanitarian organisations to date. Having been a prominent support during both first and second world wars, providing blood donations and medical training, the Swiss Red Cross made a further international impact throughout Europe and Russia, with its involvement in medical care and food donations to those in need. In today’s society the Swiss Red Cross is recognised within the Red Cross movement as being one of the most dynamic national organisations on the international scene.

The Swiss Red Cross’ mission is to serve those who need care and assistance, regardless of their race, nationality, religion or beliefs. As a private humanitarian organisation, it is crucial that the Red Cross sources as much funding as possible, to pursue this mission with full force. Al Ali was honoured to be part of such a prestigious and admirable event, with the opportunity to support and contribute to their cause.

Dubai-UAE - Dubai Properties Group (DPG), a member of Dubai Holding, hosted a charity Iftar for over 1,000 residents of Nuzul, a dedicated community for skilled staff.

In keeping with the spirit of the Holy Month of Ramadan and in line with DPG’s ‘Responsible Living’ theme, DPG employees contributed generously to the event. The initiative confirmed DPG’s commitment to its core values of respect and integrity and demonstrated its dedication to giving back to the community

Nuzul community is a dedicated residential development for skilled staff. Providing a benchmark facility, amenities include a food court, mosque, dedicated recreation and entertainment areas, as well as a supermarket and retail outlets. The community comprises 2,236 residential units across 13 low-rise buildings with a built-up area of 92,000 sq ft in the Jebel Ali Industrial Area 1

Public has been urged to contribute money, food and medicines

Abu Dhabi: The UAE Red Crescent Authority (RCA) has stepped up its efforts to help the famine-stricken people of Somalia and has appealed for donations to support the cause.

In two weeks a ship carrying 400 tonnes of items such as food, baby milk and medicines will depart from the UAE on a humanitarian mission to Somalia,” Dr Saleh Al Ta’i, deputy general-secretary for external affairs at the RCA, told Gulf News.

Al Ta’i appealed to the public to contribute whatever they could — money, food products or medicines — to ease the agony of the suffering Somali people.

As part of its ongoing efforts to help the Somalis, the RCA has built a camp for 15,000 families at the border near the country’s capital Mogadishu, he said.

Meanwhile, the RCA is also working to provide assistance to the less fortunate in the UAE and abroad during Ramadan.

Dh6 million has been set as a preliminary budget for iftar sa’em (ending the fast for the needy) within the UAE and Dh6 million abroad.

“The RCA has set up 32 iftar tents across Abu Dhabi, Musaffah and Baniyas to feed hundreds of guests. At least 6,400 iftar meals are provided daily during Ramadan,” Mohammad Al Hammadi, deputy general-secretary for local affairs at the RCA, told Gulf News.

In addition, 2,000 packed meals are distributed daily to labourers at their work locations.

RCA also has a project during Ramadan of distributing excess food from large social events and from restaurants and hotels to needy people. The excess food is packed appropriately before distribution.

“From this project 8,410 meals are distributed daily to families in need, labourers and single mothers at Ghayathi, Musaffah and Al Ain,” Al Hammadi added.

Currently, about 3,500 families comprising 17,349 individuals are registered as families in need.

Coupons are also distributed to those who are registered with the RCA in Abu Dhabi and Musaffah.

‘Varying values’

“Over Dh2 million worth of coupons are also distributed to families in need. Depending on the number of family members, coupons of varying values ranging from Dh300, Dh700 and Dh1,000 are given to them,” Al Hammadi said. Around Dh2 million in Zakat Al Fitr will be distributed to families in Abu Dhabi and Musaffah. The Red Crescent’s efforts were extended to 10 countries to support Muslims across the world during Ramadan.

“17,250 iftar meals are offered daily in Palestine, Lebanon, Somalia, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh,” he said.

The RCA will also double its efforts to receive donations from the public.

Information

• For donations, call the free hotline 800-733 or send SMS.
• Donations via SMS:
• Dh50 for iftar: to 6885 or 6881
• Dh10 for Eid clothes for children: to 7150 or 7110
• Dh200 for orphans: to 5200 or 7200

Retail Giant is a Sponsor at 2011 Musical Gala featuring Vyas Brothers

Release Date: 27th April 2011

Jacky’s Electronics, the UAE’s leading multi-brand consumer electronics retailer, is participating as a sponsor in the 2011 Musical Gala, the fourth fund-raising gala of the Dubai Chapter of CARE Foundation, Pakistan’s largest charitable non-profit organisation.

The musical gala is held in conjunction with Red Crescent, a local charity partner, and will be followed by music and entertainment by the popular singing group Vyas Brothers. Scheduled to be held on 29th April, at Jumeirah Beach Hotel, all the proceeds at the sit-down dinner will be used in the rebuilding of schools destroyed by the recent floods in Pakistan.

“Every day we serve customers in our retail outlets but as members of the community, we wanted to see what else we could do to help the community and serve the less fortunate. It is our privilege to be associated and be part of CARE Foundation’s noble cause of improving the lives of poor students by giving them a quality education,” said Ashish Panjabi, Chief Operating Officer, Jacky’s Electronics.

The musical gala serves as a platform to highlight the ongoing crisis in Pakistan and raise funds for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of schools, including homes, clean water, and health facilities in the country. The event is expected to be attended by some of the country’s prominent members of the Pakistani, Indian and other expatriate communities.

“Organisations like Jacky’s Electronics have always been active members of the community and are giving back to the society by being involved in charitable fundraising. Together, we are contributing towards a worthy cause by helping the future generations attain their dreams,” said Sehr Amjad Ismail, President, CARE Foundation Pakistan Dubai.

The CARE Foundation, established in Pakistan in 1988 to provide quality education to the country’s underprivileged children, recently won the ‘Best Charity Organization’ award by Ahlan Group’s ITP Publications. CARE successfully manages 188 schools across Pakistan, educates over 145,000 children, employs over 2000 teachers, successfully graduated over 34,000 students and provides scholarships to 800 students through the higher education support programme.

GE Volunteers raise funds for Dubai Autism Center

Dubai, UAE; February 10, 2011: GE Volunteers in UAE have raised AED 22,550 for Dubai Autism Center by participating in the recent Dubai Marathon, organized under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai.

The cheque was presented by Elliot Lewis of GE to Sara Ahmed Baker of Dubai Autism Center with other GE Volunteers taking part.

The participation of GE Volunteers in the Dubai Marathon marked their first activity this year. In inimitable style, GE Volunteers President Eilliot Lewis took part in the event dressed as a clown. The other GE Volunteers bought clown wigs and cheered Elliot from the sidelines.

Founded in 2001, Dubai Autism Center is the largest, most innovative and comprehensive nonprofit organization in the UAE serving children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Some 175 GE Volunteer Councils in 46 countries and over 100,000 volunteers undertake over 1 million hours of community service every year. GE Volunteers places emphasis on education, environment, healthcare and overall community development.

Eco-friendly solar calculators co-brand Canon & EWS-WWF to mark local wildlife conservation group’s first-ever licensing agreement

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 12 January 2011: Canon Middle East, leader in imaging solutions, has announced that it will be donating 10 per cent of sales of its X-MARK 1 solar-powered business calculator to the Emirates Wildlife Society – World Wildlife Fund (EWS-WWF).  The calculators are manufactured from recycled materials and are available at retail outlets across the UAE.

In its first-ever licensing agreement, EWS-WWF announced the signing of the agreement with Canon Middle East. The calculators, co-branded with logos from both organizations, are made using residual parts from Canon digital cameras. Under the terms of the agreement, Canon Middle East will donate proceeds from X-MARK 1 sales to EWS-WWF to help finance its environmental conservation and education programs.

“Canon’s mission is to empower creativity and innovation at home and at work, and we aim to achieve this through a socially responsible approach and using environmentally-conscious technology solutions. Our commitment to the environment is likewise reflected through our participation in wide-ranging initiatives that promote environmental awareness and sustainability across the Middle East,” said Anurag Agrawal, Managing Director Canon Middle East.

“Canon’s continuing commitment to the environment is in line with the company’s philosophy of Kyosei, which is the concept of living and working together for the common good. Through Canon’s proactive environmental commitment, we hope to set an example for others to emulate and to ultimately encourage all members of society to contribute in making our planet and our communities a much better place to live,” Agrawal added.

Licensing agreements provide an important source of revenue for the WWF around the globe. Nevertheless, this is the first licensing agreement signed by EWS-WWF. “We are excited about licensing as a source of revenue. This initiative provides a direct opportunity for UAE residents to support our efforts to conserve the environment and reduce the UAE’s ecological footprint”, said Ida Tillsch, Acting Director General of EWS-WWF.

Most of EWS-WWF annual budget is supported through fund raising activities. Corporate sponsors and the sale of turtle adoption packs help fund the Marine Turtle Conservation Project – an EWS-WWF program that tags marine turtles in GCC waters with satellite tracking devices.

“The generous support from government, corporations, and the general public through this licensing agreement and the Turtle Adoption Pack has a multiplying effect helping EWS-WWF do its work more effectively. We are pleased to be partners with Canon and encourage people to do the math as a statement of support,” continued Tillsch.

The 12-Digit desktop calculator features a large and clear LCD display panel made using 100% residual material from the manufacture of Canon Digital Camera Prism lenses. This maximizes resource efficiency and reduces waste making it a calculator for environment conscious individuals.

Support the environment by adding these calculators from Canon Middle East and EWS-WWF to your back to school shopping list. The effect may be exponential.

SAR 1.102 million worth support complements company’s Country Assistance Strategy and CSR efforts

November 1, 2010

TNT Logo

TNT recently airlifted 110 metric tonnes of food aid to Karachi to supply the Pakistani food aid missions of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). This airlift supplements the facilities TNT already provides in Pakistan such as warehouse space and the necessary resources to operate these warehouses. The shipment – comprising of nutritional supplies, vegetable and fat supplementary foods for infants - is enough to feed approximately 330,000 children for a week. 

“TNT is committed to support the people of Pakistan in this time of need following the devastating floods. Our efforts are in line with TNT’s Country Assistance Strategy (CAS) and our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Accordingly we have provided a significant amount of aid and will continue to work with the Pakistani government, civil society, private sector and the development partners to address the challenges of climate change in the most transparent manner,” said Martyn Wright, Managing Director, TNT SAB Express Saudi Arabia.

TNT has also committed to provide more facilities in Pakistan than previously communicated. The company now also offers warehousing facilities in Hyderabad next to Multan and Islamabad. Additional resources necessary to operate warehouses are also offered by TNT, such as operational staff, armed security guards, forklifts, pallets and temperature controlled containers.

The complete shipment of food supplement was collected from the production plant in France and was trucked to TNT’s air hub in Liege, Belgium. Here the pallets were loaded on board a TNT Boeing 747-400 ERF cargo plane and airlifted to Karachi on October 16, observed as World Food Day. In Karachi the relief aid was distributed to warehouses throughout Pakistan. The transport and the warehousing facilities were provided free of charge to the World Food Programme, representing a value of approximately SAR 1.102 million in total.

Nearly 21 million people have been affected by the worst monsoon floods to hit Pakistan in a generation. Two million houses have been damaged or destroyed entirely and 2.3 million hectares of farmlands devastated. The situation in Sindh, Pakistan is still severe as much of the province continues to be under water, which means that the province missed the September planting season. In Balochistan too, the huge distances and widely scattered population are making it difficult to get to everyone. Recovery efforts are well underway in the northern parts of the country where people are working hard to get back on their feet. The World Food Programme expects a poor harvest this season, but has high hopes for the one afterwards next summer as the flood waters have left behind a lot of fertile soil.

Beverage & dairy products manufacturer actively contributes to various social & charitable causes

September 1, 2010

Monther Al Harthi

In line with its special corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives for Ramadan, Al Rabie Saudi Foods Co. Ltd., a pioneering producer of dairy products and juices in the KSA and the largest juice manufacturer in the Middle East is supporting the Iftar programme arranged by the Kingdom’s various charitable organisations and mosques for the holy month.

“Each day during Ramadan, Muslims throughout the country break their fast by taking part in the Iftar meal at mosques and charitable institutions. We were keen on making a small yet meaningful contribution during the holy month by including our juices in this special meal; after all, this is the season of giving and sharing,” said Monther Al Harthi, Chief Executive Officer, Al Rabie Saudi Foods Co. Ltd.       

“We consider it a great honour to be able to help thousands of our Muslim brothers break their fast in keeping with the true spirit of Ramadan,” said AbdulMohsin Abuharba, Head of CC, PR & CSR in Al Rabie Saudi Foods Co. Ltd.

Al Rabie Saudi Foods Co. Ltd. supports the Iftar programme of various mosques and workshops teaching the Koran in all regions of the Kingdom for the year 1431 H. Over the past years the company has been funding and assisting the programme and is committed to continue doing so in the future.

Al Rabie constantly develops and implements plans and strategies to provide good health for all through its products. It has participated in several food fairs and trade exhibitions and has launched numerous social programs as part of its commitment to community service

Chamber holds CSR event in partnership with Sharjah Social Empowerment Foundation

July 22, 2010

The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and the Sharjah Social Empowerment Foundation (SSEF) recently hosted a charity exhibition showcasing handcrafted products made by orphan girls, at the SCCI headquarters recently. The exhibition, which is part of the local chamber’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) and services initiatives, aimed at offering a wide array of hand-made products and accessories to chamber employees, clients and visitors who visited the exhibition. Proceeds of the event will be used for the benefit of the orphan girls who are under the care of SSEF.

All products that were showcased at the exhibition are a result of the Foundation’s production workshop program, which seeks to teach the orphans how to create products for a livelihood. Showcased products included Arabic-themed living room accessories and handmade fabrics like table linen, bedroom linen and prayer carpet sets. The exhibition reflects the SCCI’s continued commitment to support the government’s key social and humanitarian programs and also complements the chamber’s thrust towards implementing CSR based initiatives that can be of great benefit to the local community.

Hussein Mohammed Al Mahmoudi, Director General, SCCI, said, “We are pleased with the positive response received from hosting this charity exhibition; not only were we able to showcase the talent and creativity of the orphans who are presently under the SSEF’s care but we were also able to help raise funds for their benefit. The event reflects the chamber’s continued commitment towards various humanitarian issues and our efforts to strengthen and promote productive social involvement programs for the UAE community. The SCCI affirms its support to the SSEF and its aim to provide assistance and care to orphaned children. Moreover, hosting the event complements the SCCI’s thrust towards communicating with the society - directly and effectively – and participating and rendering support to various activities organized by social organizations and entities, and reinforcing our partnerships with government agencies, foundations and other key organizations in the emirate.”

Mona Bin Huda Al Suwaidi, Director, SSEF, said, “The SCCI’s show of support for this exhibition demonstrates the chamber’s strong commitment towards humanitarian efforts and initiatives. Their efforts will surely help the Foundation’s aim to improve the status of orphaned children by providing them with the necessary educational, social, health and psychological support. Allowing us to hold the exhibition at the SCCI headquarters provided us with the two-fold opportunity of showcasing the skills and creativity of our orphans and increasing public awareness on the Foundation’s humanitarian mission and implementation of programs for orphans in Sharjah and the rest of the UAE. The SSEF extends its heartfelt gratitude to the SCCI for the assistance and support that they have provided not only to us but also towards other social foundations with similar goals.”

The Sharjah Social Empowerment Foundation was established under the directive of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qassimi, Member of the UAE Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, in 2002. The center’s role is to give educational, social, health and psychological services to orphans in Sharjah. The center specializes in making orphans more active in their society via anything that they may need in order to create social Empowerment. The SSEF vocational and career empowerment programs provide its wards with the necessary training and rehabilitation that will develop skills, confidence and self-reliance — preparing them to take up business and career opportunities in the future.  

Emirates NBD sponsors India Club Western Union UAE Open Badminton Tournament

Dubai, July 10, 2010: Winners of the India Club - Western Union UAE Open Badminton Tournament 2010 were honoured at a prize distribution function held recently at the India Club in Dubai. Emirates NBD a leading bank in the region, was the associate sponsor for the month-long badminton tournament, which witnessed participation from men, women and children across various age groups. Emirates NBD’s sponsorship of the event is part of its annual tie up with India Club and is in keeping with its three-year association with the club.