Dubai: More than 2,000 refugee children received gifts on their wish list for the Eid Al Adha holidays thanks to the Kalimat Foundation (KF) for Children’s Empowerment.
The gift-giving initiative was part of the foundation’s campaign ‘Our Eid with Them’ to help alleviate the suffering of refugee children at the Emirati-Jordanian camp in the Mrajeeb Al Fhood region of Jordan.
A delegation headed by Shaikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and Chairperson of KF, visited the camp in May. They distributed cards to the children to write down the gifts they would like to receive on one side and draw their dreams on the other.
The return visit this Eid saw the foundation providing the gifts the children had wished for.
The delegation distributed an array of gifts, including toy cars, books, crayons, footballs and much more, to the children at the camp. The delegation was led by Amna Al Mazmi, Manager of KF, and was comprised of representatives of sponsors and donors.
“Refugee children face a constant stream of challenges and it is a struggle for them to find ways to educate and entertain themselves. We launched this initiative in keeping with our desire to express solidarity with these children, draw a smile on their faces, alleviate their suffering and help fulfil their basic right of having a better life,” Shaikha Bodour said.
“We wanted to encourage them to overcome their distressing past and to be optimistic about a better and brighter future,” she added.
Shaikha Bodour stressed that the foundation’s main focus is to support refugee children, who are affected by unrest, conflicts and natural disasters. This is in line with the UAE’s humanitarian vision. She reiterated that the UAE plays an instrumental role in supporting refugees, promoting awareness of their plight and creating a positive and peaceful atmosphere for them, wherever in the world they are.
Al Mazmi said: “The children’s drawings on the cards expressed high hopes and big dreams about themselves, their families and their countries. While their history has been cruel to them, they still have the belief that their future can be kind.”
Eleven government entities and private corporations which supported the foundation’s campaign are: Sharjah Government Media Bureau, Sharjah Asset Management, Sharjah International Airport, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority, Sharjah Media Corporation, Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sharjah Ladies Club, Gems Schools, Mega Mall, Toys Are Us and Kalimat Group.
