Sunny Varkey and family donate Dh100 million to Fathers' Endowment campaign

Gems Education founder says generosity and supporting the needy is ingrained in the culture of the UAE

Sunny Varkey, founder of the Varkey Foundation and Gems Education, has donated Dh100 million to the Fathers’ Endowment campaign. Courtesy Chegg.org Global Student Prize

Sunny Varkey, founder of Gems Education, and his family have donated Dh100 million to a fund launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to support people in need.

The Fathers’ Endowment campaign was created to provide "treatment and health care to the poor and needy". The campaign continues the UAE's long-standing tradition of generosity since the nation's founding, said Mr Varkey, who stressed its positive impact had reached communities worldwide.

"I have been fortunate that I grew up in a family where charity was ingrained in us from a very early age," he said. "Since we moved to the UAE, my father made sure to share and engage with the community, supporting humanitarian initiatives and helping others. To this day, our underlying philosophy remains to prioritise giving.

"We are proud to participate in this noble initiative and to belong to the UAE community, where generosity and support for the needy are deeply ingrained, especially during Ramadan. The overwhelming support for the Fathers' Endowment campaign, aiming to provide sustainable healthcare, is a testament to this commitment."

The initiative, which coincides with Ramadan, was inspired by the role fathers play in society. People in the UAE have been encouraged to make donations in their fathers' names. It was announced earlier this month the campaign had already raised more than Dh3.3 billion – more than three times its initial target.

The Fathers’ Endowment campaign is the latest initiative launched by Sheikh Mohammed to mark the holy month each year. The Mothers' Endowment campaign was introduced last year to mark Ramadan. It aimed to support the education of millions around the world raising at least Dh1 billion. It surpassed that goal, reaching more than Dh1.4 billion.

Previous campaigns launched to mark Ramadan include the 10 Million Meals initiative of 2020, which secured more than 15.3 million meals for communities affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The 100 Million Meals campaign was launched in 2021, collecting 220 million meals for vulnerable groups, while the 1 Billion Meals of 2022 achieved its goal in less than a month. In 2023, the 1 Billion Meals Endowment raised Dh1.075 billion.