Nearly 11,000 needy students get their school bags packed

Here’s an extra-special way to start the new school year: Over 10,850 boys and girls from grades one to 12 from five national charity schools in Dubai, Sharjah and Ajman have received school bags and essential supplies from Dubai Cares’ ‘Volunteer Emirates’ programme on Saturday.

Around 350 volunteers participated in the sixth edition of Volunteer Emirates, sponsored by Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC) and held at Horizon English School.

Each of the school bags packed by the volunteers included a pencil case, notebooks, sketchbook, pencils, blue pens, crayons, stickers, sharpeners, erasers, glue, felt tip pens, rulers and a geometry set. The packs were handed over to the national charity schools to carry out their distribution.

“A new school year represents a new chapter in the story of so many children, and we hope that the essential school supplies provided to thousands of children through this latest edition of Volunteer Emirates will help ensure that their story is one of learning, development, enjoyment and achievement,” CEO of Dubai Cares Tariq Al Gurg said.

She added: “I thank once again members of the UAE community who continue to demonstrate their compassion, social awareness, and innate sense of contribution and service. ”

For his part, ENOC Group CEP Saif Humaid Al Falasi said in a statement: “At Enoc, we continuously aspire to forge and maintain partnerships that promote education, while enabling our nation’s young minds.”

Dr Kamal Farhat, general manager of the national charity schools, added: “Providing a true quality education requires many things, and the infrastructure, resources, and equipment that enable learning, curiosity, and growth are among them.