Emirati woman donates $5.4m to Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation

Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (AMAF) has announced the establishment of its first-ever education endowment, jointly set up under the names of Dawlat Mahmood Al-Mahmoud and her late husband Abdulghafoor Ali Gargash with a donation of 20 million dirhams ($5.4 million). Annual revenues from the endowment will finance the university education of minors and orphans under AMAF’s care.

“The education endowment is the largest of its kind received by AMAF to date, and reflects a mature understanding of the Emirati culture of endowment that supports government efforts in meeting basic human needs and aids long-term sustainable development. Educational and health endowments in particular, create successful models for sustainable charity work and reinforce the value of social capital when used in the right place,” a press release noted.

Revenues from the education endowment will be dedicated toward offering outstanding orphans in AMAF’s care university scholarships to study at the University of Dubai, University of Sharjah, Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and other national and international universities operating in the UAE. Beneficiary students will be encouraged to pursue specializations that are in demand in the labor market and support the UAE’s plans and strategies to enhance its global competitiveness in the future.

As a gesture of appreciation for Al-Mahmoud and her late husband’s generous allocation, Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation has announced that it will name the library at its Family Village to recognize their contributions.

Tayeb Al-Rais, secretary-general of AMAF, said: “This initiative marks an important milestone in the UAE’s journey of endowment and charity work. We hope it will inspire Emirati citizens to invest in the country’s human capital through similar education endowment initiatives, whose revenues are dedicated to supporting education, knowledge and sustainable development.”

He added: “The amount of the donation will be carefully invested in financial instruments on AMAF’s behalf. Annual revenues garnered from these investments will support the higher education costs of several orphans and minors under AMAF’s care at national and global universities. We believe such efforts will significantly help in shaping the skills required in the nation’s workforce of the future.”