Three schools in developing countries get help from Dubai
dubai — A Dubai school has collected over Dh400,000 in funds to adopt one school each in three developing countries — Nepal, Senegal and Malawi.
The Millennium School (TMS) on Thursday handed over a cheque of Dh438,845 to the Dubai Cares for the Adopt a School initiative — to build school infrastructure, get book supplies, construct gender specific toilets, teacher training and adult literacy programmes. It is the only school to have adopted three schools together in developing countries.
In line with the Year of Giving, the school organised a number of initiatives to collect funds and adopt a school, however they managed to surpass their target and managed to collect funds to adopt three schools.
Among the activities organised to collect funds, the winter carnival was the major contributor. The funds raised from the carnival amounted to Dh383,564.
A major highlight of the carnival was the TMS Charity Art Exhibition (TMS Cares), where in the students used their talent and skills and put up their own paintings on sale to collect funds for the initiative.
Head boy Darriu Diass said: “Since we wanted to use our talent for a meaningful cause, we organised TMS Cares. To give it a professional touch, 15 teachers from various Gems schools came to TMS and made one painting each on the spot to donate for the art exhibition.”
About 15-20 other paintings were done by the students of TMS. A total of 35 paintings were put up for sale with the minimum price of a painting being Dh150 and the maximum selling off for Dh400.
Another initiative was a charity book sale wherein students donated books ranging from educational ones for all grades to Archie comics. An amount of Dh7,660 was collected and the proceeds were given to Dubai Cares.
One of the first events that the school organised at the start of the Year of Giving was a charity walkathon that saw Grades 1 to 4 walk around the school grounds as a gesture
as a school, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and are privileged to be able to provide children in developing countries access to quality primary education.” Ambika Gulati, principal, TMS
of support the cause. The initiative was part of our project, Sa’adah, which comprised various gestures of generosity. Other initiatives that contributes towards the funds for Dubai Cares included a Souq Sale Day and Marketing Bazaar organised by the students on the school premises.
The school principal Ambika Gulati told Khaleej Times: “As a school, we believe in the power of education to transform lives and are privileged to be able to provide children in developing countries access to quality primary education.”
saman@khaleejtimes.com