ABU DHABI // Pupils across the UAE are collecting donations for youngsters who cannot afford school fees as part of a campaign launched by the Emirates Red Crescent.
The three-month Crescent’s Young Heroes campaign aims to help children in need of financial aid in order to continue their education.
Small safes decorated with comic characters will be distributed to 4,855 students who are registered as volunteers with the ERC to collect the donations. They will also receive an ERC Super Heroes comic book explaining the initiative and how people can help.
The campaign kicked off on Wednesday will run until May 15.
“We seek the support of students to provide education opportunities for those whose family’s financial or social circumstances prevent them from enrolling in schools,” said Mohammed Al Remeithi, acting secretary general of local affairs at ERC.
Dr Mohammed Al Falahi, secretary general of ERC, said the campaign, which falls in line with 2017 the Year of Giving, has three key aims.
“Enforcing social responsibility, volunteer work and instilling a culture that wants to serve its nation and upcoming generations,” he said.
Rawan Fawaz, a 26-year-old mother of two young volunteers in Abu Dhabi, said she hoped the initiative will have a positive influence on their academic performance.
“It is a very good thing to encourage students to think of others and feel the blessing they have. Perhaps if they appreciate that they are lucky enough to be going to school, they will study harder and make something out of themselves, so in the future they can educate their own children as life is only becoming more expensive.”
According to Mrs Fawaz, it is not uncommon for students to drop out of school because their families cannot afford the fees.
“The children of a friend had to stay for two years at home because both parents stopped working and they could not pay for their education.”
hdajani@thenational.ae
