ABU DHABI // An initiative established by Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak to change the lives of millions of refugee women and children has finally been launched. The Sheikha Fatima Fund for Refugees was unveiled yesterday at the Emirates Palace hotel, five years after the widow of the founder of the nation, Sheikh Zayed, donated Dh2 million (US$540,000) for its creation.
The fund, which plans a 90-day media campaign to encourage donations in the UAE, will be administered by the UAE Red Crescent and finance projects implemented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. The projects will benefit refugee women and children in countries including Georgia, Afghanistan, Congo, Yemen, Somalia, Sudan and Iraq. Speaking at the launch, Dr Ali al Kaabi, chairman of the Red Crescent Authority's board of directors, said the initiative demonstrated Sheikha Fatima's "deep understanding of refugee problems".
"When Her Highness donated Dh2m she said, 'My aim is to contribute to the fund's real and tangible contribution to help refugee women and mothers, to be a source of comfort and reassurance to millions of children who face various forms and images of tragedies'," he said. "While we appreciate her creative initiatives in this field we invite everyone - individuals, organisations and authorities - to contribute in strengthening the fund's programmes and support its purpose."
A memorandum of understanding was signed in 2003 between the UNHCR and the RCA, of which Sheikha Fatima is honorary president, to establish the fund. However, shortly afterwards the UNHCR's UAE office was closed, causing the pace of the initiative to slow. But four permanent UNHCR staff members arrived at the new office in Abu Dhabi this March and will be working alongside the RCA to operate the fund.
Hamdi Bukhari, UNHCR deputy regional representative in the GCC, said: "We attach high expectations to this fund, which will contribute in easing the suffering of tens of thousands of refugee women and children around the globe. Potential projects will be submitted by the UNHCR to the UAE RCA, with those approved being allocated money from the fund. Despite the delay in its official launch, the fund has already contributed to several projects, including providing sewing machines to refugee Afghan women. A vocational training project for women was also established at an ice factory in Yemen.
Dr Kaabi said there were several projects expected to receive support from the fund during the next three months, including a Dh1.1m micro-credit scheme and help for around 500 people with special needs or disabilities at Kharaz refugee camp in Yemen. hdajani@thenational.ae loatway@thenational.ae
