Abu Dhabi, Sep 13th, 2010 (WAM) -- A total of AED 500,000 has been donated to the Takatof 2010 Ramadan Project, which supports poor families throughout the UAE during the holy month.

The funds were provided thanks to the generosity of six private sector institutions and various national figures with additional funding from the Takatof Social Volunteering programme itself.

"These generous contributions have helped realize the objectives of the project to assist poor families and meet their basic needs," said Takatof Programme Executive Director Maytha Al Habsi.

She expressed Takatofs appreciation to the donors ESNAAD (a member of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company group), Union National Bank (UNB), Dolphin Energy, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (MASDAR), Barclays, and various organizations and individuals who preferred to remain anonymous.

She added that these donations demonstrated the vision of H.H General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, crown prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces, in fostering the culture of volunteering.

The Takatof Ramadan Project began with field visits by selected volunteers who surveyed all emirates to take a first-hand look at the social status of disadvantaged families, so as to determine their basic needs. The volunteers then provided the families with food supplies, household appliances and other aid items.

The Takatof Ramadan bus and volunteers then made a charity trip from Takatof Headquarters in Abu Dhabi bearing the logo "Takatof Is Ready in the Holy Month". The bus carried aid including food coupons and school bags, so as to help the children of disadvantaged families prepare for the new school year. Home renovation, where necessary, is another important contribution.

With the help of financial experts, the volunteers also assisted families in adopting sound financial planning with the aim of finding and curing the root causes of their financial problems.

Takatofs Ramadan Project has serviced around 500 Emirati families this year taking to total supported over the past three years to 2,000. The Ramadan Project has been funded by donations ranging between AED 20,000-200,000 that have been given by well-intentioned individuals and philanthropic organizations.

Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2010.