New alliance to support underprivileged families

Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, communities, retail, and leisure pioneer across the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, has joined hands with Lahorebased non- governmental organisation (NGO) Miracle School Ministries to support fifty underprivileged families through the harsh winter season.

The families, which are associated with the NGO, were provided with essential food items and warm clothing from Majid Al Futtaim's supermarket franchise, Carrefour. Without such assistance, children are often forced to engage in child labour by working at brick kilns to provide an income for their family.

The donations by Carrefour were distributed by the Miracle School Ministries to members of the benefiting families. The Miracle School Ministries works to protect underprivileged children -particularly those forced to work at Pakistan's brick kilns - from child labour and other rights violations.

The organisation also provides education to more than 600 children through its two schools, where it teaches the core values of dignity and self-respect tohelp transform students' lives for the better.

Jean Marc Dumont, Country Manager of Carrefour Pakistan at Majid

Al Futtaim Retail, commented: "Majid Al Futtaim actively seeks to make a positive contribution to the communities we operate in, and we're pleased to partner with the Miracle School Ministries to do so in Lahore. Pakistan's unprecedented harsh winters this year, compounded by a worrying lack of resources, threatens the safety and health of these vulnerable families.

That is why Carrefour Pakistan is supporting the Miracle School Ministries by providing vital food and clothing to underprivileged families. Not only are they now able to cope with the frigid weather, their children are also spared from the gruelling labour that many are forced into."