One of the UAE's leading retail estate companies is to develop a Dh1 billion commercial project to generate crucial funds for a government drive offering a lifeline to orphaned children across the country.
Ambitious plans for the Mother of the Nation City – named in honour of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak – were unveiled by developers Eagle Hills and Abu Dhabi's Endowments and Minors’ Funds Authority (Awqaf) on Thursday.
All financial returns from the initiative will support the Mother of the Nation Endowment for Orphans, which was launched last month. Authorities did not reveal when the project is expected to be completed or where it will be located.
The endowment campaign, operated by Awqaf, seeks to establish a sustainable funding pipeline for orphan care to deliver long-term access to education, health care and social empowerment programmes. The major funding strategy is in line with a broader push to ensure orphaned children and those of unknown parentage are given the best start in life.
An agreement signing ceremony was held on Thursday in the presence of Abdul Saeed, chairman of Awqaf; Dr Mugheer Al Khaili, secretary general of Erth Zayed Philanthropies; Mohamed Alabbar, chairman of Eagle Hills; Hesham Ibrahim, group chief executive of Eagle Hills; and Fahad Al Qassim, director general of Awqaf.
Under the agreement, Eagle Hills will develop and deliver the project to generate sustainable endowment returns, which will be directed towards supporting orphans in vital areas including education, health care and improving living standards.
“At Eagle Hills, we believe in the importance of supporting national initiatives that invest in people and create lasting impact within society,” said Mr Alabbar.
“This agreement reflects our commitment to developing high-quality projects that generate sustainable endowment returns, contributing to empowering orphans and providing them with better opportunities in education and life, in line with the UAE’s vision for sustainable development and social cohesion.”
Mr Saeed said the partnership “marks an important milestone in advancing the endowment ecosystem” in Abu Dhabi.
“The ‘Mother of the Nation City’ project reflects our commitment to maximising returns from endowment assets and directing them towards supporting the most vulnerable groups, particularly orphans, in a way that ensures resource sustainability and enhances quality of life,” he said.
