The initiative is implemented in collaboration with the Emirates Red Crescent, Etisalat, du, as well as Abu Dhabi's and Dubai's Departments of Economic Development.

It falls under the 'Happiness is Giving' campaign and heeds the calls of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to mark the beginning of Ramadan with great charity projects.

H.E. Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi:

The initiative supports the UAE’s philanthropy and fosters partnerships between the public and private sectors to affect real change in people’s lives.

Dubai, May 30, 2017 

The National Happiness and Positivity Programme has launched the “Change a Future” initiative – part of the “Happiness is Giving” campaign – to improve the lives of children across the UAE, in collaboration with the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), Etisalat, du, as well as Abu Dhabi’s and Dubai’s Department of Economic Development.

The initiative was created following the May 25th directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to mark the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan with great charity projects, in line with the nationwide Year of Giving campaign.

“Happiness is Giving” engages the private sector – particularly, the retail sector, shopping centres, retail outlets, and megastores – encouraging organisations to donate to the Emirates Red Crescent throughout the month of Ramadan. The ERC, in turn, will donate to causes that seek to improve the quality of life for children around the world.

Her Excellency Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness, noted that this initiative supports the UAE’s philanthropy and fosters partnerships between the public and private sectors to affect real change in people’s lives, which helps the UAE attain its objectives and multiply its initiatives during the Year of Giving, as directed by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

The initiative stems for H.H. Sheikh Mohammed’s understanding of charity and giving, H.E. Al Roumi added, quoting H.H. when he said: “We hope every person in the UAE plays their part in the efforts marking the ‘Month of Giving’ in the ‘Nation of Giving’.”

The Minister of State for Happiness went on to explain that the “Happiness is Giving” initiative is the umbrella campaign consolidating all initiatives organised by the National Happiness and Positivity Programme to mark the Year of Giving in collaboration with the public and private sectors. H.E. reaffirmed that this initiative will have positive effects on all segments of UAE society, which is renowned for its generosity, especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan.

H.E. Ohood Al Roumi lauded all partners who had a part in the success of the “Change a Future” initiative – namely, the Emirates Red Crescent, Etisalat, du, as well as Abu Dhabi’s and Dubai’s Departments of Economic Development – thanking them for their role in establishing charity and generosity as a culture and key tenet of the United Arab Emirates.

Change a Future

The “Happiness is Giving” initiative takes place throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan and continues until the end of the Year of Giving. It is open for individuals and institutions from both the public and private sectors in the UAE, and targets children – the “generation of the future”. The initiative covers four main development-related topics that reflect the mission and vision of the Emirates Red Crescent:

Health: The ERC will provide essential vaccinations including for polio, smallpox, and measles to children in Somalia, in addition to securing medicine for children in need in Erbil, Iraq.

Education: The Emirates Red Crescent will dedicate some of the contributions to furnish schools for refugees built by the UAE in Greece, in addition to providing prescription glasses for students who need them.

Food: Food boxes will be distributed to needy children in Somalia and Erbil.

People of Determination: A part of the ERC’s contributions will go to children with disabilities in the Jordanian-Emirati camp for Syrian refugees, supplying them with wheelchairs and hearing aids.  

There are many ways to take part in the initiative’s activity. The “Equal Value” category, for one, encourages shoppers to donate the equivalent of what they just spent – or less – to charity. The “One Dirham” category, meanwhile, has retail outlets charge customers, with their consent, one extra dirham to go towards the campaign.

The campaign also allows customers of Etisalat and du to raise funds for charity using emojis. Users can send an emoji to the number 2300 in order to donate one dirham towards a food drive. They can also send the emoji to 3300 to contribute five dirhams towards healthcare, or to 7040 to contribute ten dirhams to education.

ERC: To Promote Charity and Generosity

Dr Mohammed Ateeq Al-Falahi, Secretary-General of the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), stressed that the initiative strengthens cooperation with the National Happiness and Positivity Programme, and promotes social responsibility. It serves to consolidate efforts that bolster the UAE’s humanitarian role.

Dr Al-Falahi commended H.E. Ohood bint Khalfan Al Roumi, Minister of State for Happiness, for her great efforts in launching the “Happiness is Giving” initiative, noting that the campaign supports the Red Crescent’s programmes, its relief operations, and development projects across the globe. The ERC Secretary-General also expressed hope that these projects will set an example for others to emulate across the country.

Moreover, Dr Al-Falahi underlined the ERC’s interest in strengthening cooperation with all government entities, to reinforce a culture of giving and virtue. “In that regard, the ERC has made significant strides towards creating a series of partnerships with the community,” he said. “This stems from our belief in the importance of fostering joint efforts for a better future, and providing social protection for the individuals and segments that the ERC sponsors.”

DED: Fostering Collaboration in Humanitarian Activities

For his part, H.E. Sami Al Qamzi, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Economic Development (DED), said: “We are delighted to support the ‘Happiness is Giving’ initiative and to collaborate with the National Happiness and Positivity Programme and the private sector. Our main objective from this initiative is to spread a culture of charity and generosity in the UAE, which is renowned for being ‘the country of giving’, especially during the Holy Month of Ramadan, when people rush to do good and help those in need. These initiatives play a pivotal role in society, and foster cooperation in humanitarian and charity work. We are on the path set by our innovative leadership, who always encourages us to promote social responsibility among individuals and organisations.”

“Our goal is to inspire retail outlets and companies to compete among themselves to give back to the community,” Al Qamzi added. “At the Department of Economic Development, we are always keen to promote a culture of giving. At the end of the month, the 10 retail stores with the most donations will be rewarded.”

Al Qamzi went on to invite business owners to take part in the initiative and support this humanitarian campaign. “Many of the major retail outlets and shopping centres in the Emirate of Dubai have expressed their desire to participate in this event, which begins on the first day of the Holy Month of Ramadan,” he concluded. “We are happy to see the enthusiasm and commitment of the private sector to strengthening their ties with government institutions in order to achieve the vision and strategy of our leadership.”

Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development.

His Excellency Khalifa Bin Salem Al Mansouri, Undersecretary at the Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi, said that UAE society stands out for the strong ties binding the leadership to the people. This is evidenced by the host of humanitarian and community-based initiatives that seek to promote the wellbeing of society under the aegis of the Year of Giving.

The “Happiness is Giving” initiative reflects beyond doubt the solidarity between all segments of UAE society, noted H.E. Khalifa Al Mansouri, adding that it promotes charity and positive values and works to include the private sector.

Etisalat: Charitable Initiatives a Part of Daily Life

Engineer Saleh Alabdooli , CEO Etisalat Group said: “Etisalat is proud to be part of this prestigious ‘Happiness is Giving’ project being led by the National Programme for Happiness and Positivity, and is in line with the government initiatives planned for the ‘Year of Giving’. This new project is a reflection of our values encouraging all our customers to adopt charitable initiatives as part of their daily lives to spread happiness in the society. This initiative gives everyone an opportunity to give back to the society especially the ones who are most need of such support and charity.

“With our partnership, the ‘Happiness is Giving’ project will reach across our wide network of customers encouraging them to donate via text messages. Etisalat does play a major role in serving the community and promoting happiness in our society and therefore are constantly looking to be part of such significant initiatives at the local, regional and international level. We are constantly investing in innovation to build solutions and services for our customers that reflects the positive efforts of our nation and brings happiness in the society. Such models of partnerships are a perfect platform for giving and we are proud to be part of this government initiative.”

du: A Corporate Culture Based on Giving

Osman Sultan, Chief Executive officer, du said: "Giving is intrinsic, it is something that can bring each and every one of us happiness and satisfaction, and the best thing about giving is that it is wholly under our personal control. The way we give also has a positive impact on our society as a whole – and this is something that we have witnessed at du through our various volunteering initiatives. In fact, our Gallup Index score is higher for our employees that participate in these initiatives, and their positivity has contributed to a productive, attractive and innovative work environment. Our partnership with Giving is Happiness emphasizes our institutional approach to society, the environment and the economy, in order to support a sustainable future, while simultaneously supporting the partnership between the public and private sectors."

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