UAE shoppers can help build Dubai's first orphanage

A first for Dubai, the 'Family Village' will not only care for abandoned children but will match them with permanent foster families.

Members of the Maranao Community in the UAE shipped 500kg of dates to underprivileged Filipino Muslims in their home country. Courtesy Marcom UAE

DUBAI // Shoppers can donate money to build the emirate's first orphanage when they check out at more than 300 stores across the country this month.

The Ramadan campaign is a collaboration between the Awqaf and Minor Affairs Foundation (Amaf) and Landmark Group to raise funds for the Family Village, a Dh150 million project Amaf devised last year.

"The village will give the children a place they can live in harmony and be looked after," said Tayeb Al Rais, Amaf secretary general.

Dozens of children are abandoned every year in the UAE. While there are orphanages in Al Ain and Sharjah - and a federal facility planned for Umm Al Quwain - there is no orphanage in Dubai.

For years, abandoned children have been sent to live at Latifa Hospital, previously called Al Wasl Hospital.

The Family Village plan calls for a series of villas and a "grandmother" director who oversees "mothers" and "aunties" caring for the children. The staff will live full-time with the children rather than working shifts.

"Living in a hospital environment is one thing," Mr Al Rais said. "Living in a village with an auntie and a grandmother ... and having interaction with the community is a totally different thing."

The 18-month building project began in May in Al Warqa.

So far about half of the Dh150million target has been raised. Of that, Dh40million is for the construction - the rest of the funds will go into an endowment to make the orphanage self-sustaining.

"Almost all [orphanages] rely on donations, handouts and Zakat," said Mr Al Rais. "What happens when you have a recession?"

In addition to abandoned children, the orphanage will serve those whose parents have died and children from "broken homes", Mr Al Rais said.

"We can support them as well."

The main goal of the orphanage will be to match children with permanent foster families. At the last count, there were dozens of children in Dubai who need homes, Mr Al Rais said. "We don't have the intention to keep these kids in the village for eternity."

Under the law, abandoned children receive UAE nationality and can be fostered by Emirati families.

"We are working on setting up an awareness campaign for people to know that these kids are here," Mr Al Rais said. "One of the best things you can do in any religion ... is look after a child who was left at the doorstep of a mosque or a park or in a dumpster."

The children in the orphanage will be integrated into the community, attending local schools.

Mr Al Rais hopes the project will help combat the lingering stigma abandoned children face.

"Why should these children be deprived and depressed and be called names in society?" he asked. "We have a long way to go to have them accepted. This topic in many societies in the world is still a taboo."

But the issue should not be hidden or brushed under a rug, he said. "We need to handle it properly. If you ignore them and deprive them ... they could become thieves, prostitutes, terrorists - because they have nothing to lose.

"Not only is there a social side to this, there is a security side as well by protecting these children. You won't allow these children to stray off the path," said Mr Al Rais.

Donations will be gathered at Landmark Group stores such as Home Centre, Babyshop, Shoe Mart, Centrepoint and Emax. At checkout, customers will be asked if they want to give Dh5 or a multiple of Dh5 to the project.

People who wish to donate directly can contact Amaf's call centre at 04 366 2111 or visit www.amaf.gov.ae for more information.