Big Heart gives $1.5m donation

ABU DHABI // The UN refugee agency has thanked the Big Heart campaign and Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi for a US$1.5 million donation.

The donation will support education for Syrian refugee children in Egypt and Lebanon, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said on Monday.

Sheikha Jawaher is wife of the Ruler of Sharjah and the agency’s eminent advocate for refugee children. She launched the Big Heart for Syrian Refugee Children campaign in 2013.

UNHCR’s Egypt field operations will receive the largest portion, $1 million (Dh3.6m), to support the expansion of three schools and refurbishment of five in Cairo, Alexandria and Damietta governorates.

This expansion includes 50 additional classrooms. The funding will benefit about 15,000 Syrian pupils and 45,000 Egyptian pupils, UNHCR said.

Funding in Lebanon will cover school fees and transportation for more than 1,185 Syrian pupils.

Lebanon hosts more than 1.1 million refugees, while Egypt hosts at least 137,000, UNHCR said. In Lebanon, 34 per cent are school-age children, while in Egypt the figure is 30 per cent.