DUBAI // Two hundred children from underprivileged families received new iPad Mini tablets from the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (Amaf).
Sheikha Hind bint Juma Al Maktoum donated the devices to 200 children, aged three to 18, who were chosen from the 2,650 minors that the foundation cares for. The minors include orphans, special-needs children, and those from poor families.
“Sheikh Mohammed launched the Smart Government initiative, we wanted to apply that initiative at a community level and thought about providing the most appropriate gift, which is a smart gift,” said Tayeb Al Rais, the secretary general of Amaf.
“We want to educate the children and give them the tools to cope with the initiative and to be ready for the smart world.
“Our responsibility is to educate them and make sure that they are healthy and ready to take the next step into the world.
“Some of these children in the future will take positions in our government.”
Mr Al Rais said it was very hard to select only 200 of the youngsters. “We wanted to give the tablets to all of them. But we have different events throughout the year and we make sure that we select the most appropriate children for each event,” he said.
Omar Yousef Abdulla, an 18-year-old high-school graduate, was thankful for receiving a tablet.
“I was told I have to pay instalments to get a tablet at university. Thankfully I studied hard and now I’m rewarded with a brand new iPad,” he said. “I’m sure this will really help me with my studies, I want to thank Sheikha Hind and the Amaf for their generosity,” said Omar, who hopes to study law.
Nine year-old Sheikha Mohammed Ahmad and her five siblings are excited about being given the tablets. “I use apps to learn maths and English. I also love to take pictures and post them on Instagram,” she said.
“I also play games on it and surf the net. It is a very nice gift, I can’t wait to go home and use it.”
Saeed, her 14-year-old brother, said: “I will use it [the tablet] for school work, but for now I just want to play games on it.”
The six children recently lost their father and they receive aid from the Amaf. They have three other siblings who are adults.
The Amaf invests the minors’ inheritance without levying a fee until they are old enough take charge of the money.
“Most of the philanthropic activities that we receive from the public involve building of mosques,” said Mr Al Rais. “That is good, but people should realise that we have more important projects they can help out with. Eighty per cent of these children need support.”
malkhan@thenational.ae
