Dear all,

I hope you are all well. Firstly I would like to wish you all Ramadan Kareem and hope this month is a peaceful one for all. Second of all, I wanted to let you know that I have decided to take up a personal challenge which I hope you can help me with.

Seeing I have now been based in Dubai for nearly 3 years, I would like to give back to the community that has given me so much and have therefore signed up for the Gulf for Good (UAE registered charity) challenge of CYCLING THE SEVEN EMIRATES and parts of Oman in 5 days covering just under 400KM. The money collected by Gulf for Good will be distributed to Al Manar Charity School in Ajman by helping rebuild facilities in the school and making it a safe environment for the children of which many are either abandoned or orphaned.

With 6a.m starts and 9-10 hours of cycling a day- the challenge has been rated as HARD and physically demanding. The route will take us on open roads, mountain trails, coastal roads and desert tracks (neglecting the estimated 26 degrees of hot weather). We will be staying in a mixture of small local motels, desert camps, tents and huts before our triumphant return to Dubai on the UAE’s 40th National Day!

So, my friends, I need your help in making this happen. In theory, I have two challenges ahead of me, the first is to complete the challenge itself and the second is to raise a substantial amount of funding for the project to provide the much needed aid. The minimum donation I need to raise is 12,000 AED so if you, or your company or if you know of any organisations willing to donate and sponsor me then please get in touch with me as soon as possible. In addition, I would really appreciate your time and urge you to forward my message onto anyone you think that can help (including your Corporate Social Responsibility departments). Just sending this to one or two people can make such a big difference and will help me to complete this challenge and in return make a difference in the lives of the children. Read more below on corporate sponsorships as well as the details of the challenge.

DATE

28th November – 2nd December 2011

Come and cheer for us on our return to Dubai on the UAE’s 40th National Day!!! You can spot us riding high with the UAE flags!

THE CHALLENGE

Operating under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Gulf for Good aims to bring Gulf nationals and residents of all backgrounds to push their own limits whilst raising money to make a real difference to children’s lives in the area of the challenge. In 10 years, Gulf for Good has completed 35 challenges raising over US$ 1.7 million for schools, hospitals, orphanages and medical equipment in 20 countries across the Middle East, Asia, Africa and South America.

For more information
Website www.gulf4good.org and http://www.gulf4good.org/en/challenge/the-challenges/cycle-the-emir...
Tel:+971 4 3680222 Fax:+971 4 3681388
Email:admin@gulf4good.org

WHERE YOUR MONEY IS GOING

During our cycle, we will get to visit Al Manar Charity School which provides free schooling to more than 2,400 children up the age of 16 (and of 36 different nationalities) but has no government funding so is reliant entirely on public donations. More than 400 of these children are either abandoned or orphaned and at least 200 of them are living in very vulnerable conditions. At present, Al Manar Charity School in Ajman has over 60 classrooms and is divided into infant, girls, boys and senior sections, with approx 35 children per classroom.

In order to make the school safe and to create a proper environment in which these unfortunate children can learn, the school needs the following items:
• new a/c units
• new doors/door frames
• multiple floor tiles
• new/repaired roof
• toilets in girls section
• small new area concreted for playground
• making good all electrical cabling

There is no website for this charity, but you can find out more by contacting the Gulf for Good office at admin@gulf4good.org

WHAT WE GIVE BACK

For just a minimum donation of 12,000 AED, we help make a difference in the environment for these children, making it safe and clean for them to receive a proper education.

CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP

If you are an organisation that would like to sponsor me:

• You would be contributing in making a difference in the environment for these children- possibly in line with your Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives e.g. education, schooling and children
• I can use your marketing materials to promote your organisation (e.g. banner, t-shirt..) with your logo and name.
• Photographs will be taken throughout the UAE cycling challenge and can be used in your publicity efforts.
• Your name will be broadcasted in media channels (online/hardcopies and TV)
• Emails will be circulated locally to over 2000 people and organisations with your company logo as my sponsor

DONATIONS

• For cash donations please contact me so I can pick it up and deliver it to Gulf for Good.
• For cheques (please state the challenge and my name on the back and make the cheque payable to “Gulf for Good”). Please contact me so I can pick it up and deliver it to Gulf for Good
• For credit/debit card transactions, this will need to be done at the Gulf For Good offices at the International Humanitarian City
• To make a wire transfer- please ensure that the transaction has a reference to the challenge and my name. Please notify me so I can track this for you.

Bank Details for Wire Transfers
Money transfer payable to GULF FOR GOOD to
Account Name : GULF FOR GOOD
Account Number : 60601112122201
Bank Name : Lloyds TSB Bank
Bank Address : P O Box 3766, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Opp. Al Safa Park, Al Wasl Road
Swift Code: : LOYDAEAD
Gulf for Good
P.O. Box 506006
Dubai
United Arab Emirates.

RECOMMENDED LINKS

Photos of the last Cycle the 7 Emirates Challenge

http://www.gulf4good.org/en/challenge/the-challenges/cycle-the-emir...

Media Articles

http://www.timeoutdubai.com/community/features/25776-pedal-power-fo...

http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/gulf-charity-to-cycle-all-s...

JOIN US ON THE CYCLE

Please email admin@gulf4good.org

Again! I cannot do this without your support so any donation you make- no matter how small will make a difference and is hugely appreciated.

Thank you
Nadia Al-Shadhir
nadia.alshadhir@gmail.com