Tecom Investments, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dubai Holding, has partnered with Dubai Cares, a philanthropic organisation working to improve access to quality primary education for children in developing countries, to support Dubai Cares' 'Adopt a School' initiative in Gaza.

Tecom Investments and Dubai Cares sign MoU to build new school in Gaza

Dubai Cares has launched the Adopt a School initiative to address the challenges faced by children of marginalised communities in Western Nepal and Gaza in accessing quality education.

For the first time, Dubai Cares has given organisations and individuals in Dubai the opportunity to adopt a specific programme in a developing country, and Tecom is one of the first organisations in the UAE to implement the initiative. 

Malek Al Malek, CEO of Tecom Business Parks, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, to support the initiative, which will give under-privileged children in Gaza access to a quality education. Through this initiative, Tecom will fund the construction of and play an active role in the development of a school in Gaza to improve primary education for children aged 3 - 6.

This initiative is part of Tecom's wider Corporate and Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. Tecom has an active series of social impact initiatives in place, and in 2006, became the first company in the Middle East to create and implement a Sustainable Development Policy. 

Commenting, Malek Al Malek, CEO of Tecom Business Parks, said, "As a world class developer of knowledge clusters, Tecom not only aspires to contribute to the development of the region economically, but also socially. This program will allow us to give an opportunity to those from underprivileged backgrounds to be able to learn, succeed and grow and hopefully positively impact their communities in the future."

"As a keen advocate of Dubai's strategy and vision to support disadvantaged communities; we are very pleased to be working with Dubai Cares on such a noble cause of extending a valuable contribution through education to young people in Gaza. Through the Adopt a School initiative, we hope to make a positive impact on society and further strengthen our corporate responsibility imprint," he added.

Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares added, "Education is one of the most significant investments any society can make. For every individual who has been fortunate enough to enjoy a quality education, the impact of such an investment has been life changing, impacting the individual's own life, his/her family, the community and country at large. In short, education can make the world a truly better place."

"We commend Tecom for their involvement. We at Dubai Cares are content that our efforts are enabling the multicultural community that makes up our nation, to play an active role in enhancing children's access to quality primary education in the developing world," he said.

Dubai Cares' efforts in Gaza reflect the theme of its 2013 Ramadan campaign "End Poverty. Educate Now", which runs throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan to spread awareness about the importance of education as one of the most effective tools to break the cycle of poverty. The campaign also aims to raise funds for improving children's access to education in developing countries.