Emirati generosity warms 37,000 Tunisian families

Emirates Red Crescent workers in action. The funds for people affected by snowstorm Huda have been raised as part of the UAE Compassion Campaign. Sammy Dallal / The National

Tens of thousands of needy Tunisian families will benefit from aid drives organised by the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation.

The foundation, in coordination with the UAE Embassy in Tunis and the Tunisian Union of Social Solidarity, will provide support to 37,000 families affected by the recent extreme cold weather.

So far, people in the region affected by snowstorm Huda have received more than Dh208 million from government bodies, business and residents of the UAE, and in-kind donations.

The funds have been raised as part of the UAE Compassion Campaign under the direction of President Sheikh Khalifa.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, has also instructed humanitarian and relief agencies to continue delivery of humanitarian assistance to Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Iraqi Kurdistan throughout winter.

Emirates Red Crescent teams also continue to distribute aid packages to Syrian refugees, with the latest distribution taking place in Erbil, in Iraq’s Kurdistan region.

Bee’ah, the Sharjah Environment Company, raised money at an event at its main office, and also made a separate donation of Dh200,000, with all proceeds going to the ERC.

Staff were asked to donate money and winter supplies including blankets, jackets, gloves and scarves, the state news agency Wam reported.

“His Highness’s Tarahamu [UAE Compassion] campaign for refugees is an extremely important and worthwhile cause, one which we feel a strong duty to get behind,” said Meera Taryam, director of Environmental Services and Education at Bee’ah.

“The efforts by Red Crescent to provide winter supplies to the refugees are absolutely critical, especially in the face of the hostile storms battering the Levant.”

Telecommunications provider du donated Dh112,000, as well as winter clothing, to the ERC.

Funds were collected from du employees through donation boxes placed in its offices in Dubai Media City, Dubai Academic City, Fujairah Call Centre, and Al Barsha.

“Once again, our colleagues have truly demonstrated their strong spirit of compassion for helping communities in need,” said Hala Badri, du’s vice president of communications.

“Their generosity is inspirational, and we are proud to have such empathetic people working with us.

“We are committed to supporting all humanitarian initiatives launched by the UAE, in order to play our part in alleviating the strife of our brothers and sisters in needy communities around the world.

“Our thanks go to the leadership of the UAE, to Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Mohammed for setting such a strong humanitarian example on a national and global scale.”

The Ministry of Finance has collected donations from staff in the capital and Dubai.

“The UAE’s generosity resembles humane warm winds that reduce the effects of the cold blizzard,” said Mohammed Al Zaroni, manager of ERC in Dubai.