Fourth Successful Year Helping Needy Families Nationwide

Abu Dhabi, August 25, 2011: Major UAE companies and institutions provided the Takatof Ramadan Programme 2011 with donations and financial contributions valued at over half a million dirhams.

The Ramadan project, organised for the fourth year in succession by the Takatof Programme for Social Volunteering, saw the entire amount distributed to needy families across the country during the holy month of Ramadan. The programme has just concluded.

Participants were Dolphin Energy Limited, Jotun Paints, Emirates Islamic Bank, Abu Dhabi Airports Company and Masdar - as well as Takatof's parent organisation, the Emirates Foundation for Philanthropy, which provided AED 225,000.

Dolphin Energy Limited gave AED 150,000, the Emirates Islamic Bank and Jotun Paints AED 100,000 each and AED 50,000 was received from Abu Dhabi Airports Company and Masdar.

During this project, 160 volunteers from Takatof distributed Ramadan assistance to needy families through cooperative society food coupons worth AED 2,000 per family, as well as in-kind assistance including electric appliances for the household and school supplies. Five hundred needy families benefited from the assistance, which included the provision of 500 school bags as school supplies.

Takatof volunteers also organized Iftar (fast breaking) meals for 600 workers in Thaid, Nakheel and Meyreedh in Ras Al Khaimah, as well as collective Ramadan breakfasts for new Moslems and those with special needs.

In implementing this project, Takatof worked hand in hand with a number of national bodies and individuals to ensure access to needy families and thus provide assistance and basic supplies and appliances such as conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators and furniture.

More than 2,000 families across the UAE have previously benefited from Takatof Ramadan Projects throughout the past four years. This year, Takatof used social data from the Bayt Al Khair society in Dubai to define the needy families, as distinct from social surveys and field visits by volunteers in previous years.

Maytha Al Habsi, Director of the Takatof Programme, expressed her thanks and appreciation to all donor bodies and institutions in 2011. She said that these generous donations were a manifestation of the institutions' social responsibilities and willingness to strengthen the bonds between different elements in society -particularly including disadvantaged families and those with special needs.

She added that Takatof's Ramadan Project 2011 offered a real opportunity for volunteers to communicate with and help needy families during the month of Ramadan, while developing their skills.

"It is very important that those who can make a contribution do so. The holy month of Ramadan is a time to reflect and think of others less fortunate. As a result, we felt it was right to sponsor the Programme rather than organize an iftar event for our employees and allocate funds accordingly. Dolphin remains committed to various humanitarian and CSR efforts within the Emirates," explained Dolphin Energy's GM in the UAE, Ibrahim Ahmed Al Ansari.

Faisal Aqil, GM Retail Banking in Emirates Islamic Bank said that EIB participated in the Takatof Programme "as it shares our core value of putting the community support and improving the quality of life of all citizens on top of our priorities".

Sverre Knudsen, General Manager from Jotun Paints, stated that Jotun's participation in this pioneering project underlined the company's social role and its quest to contribute to the improvement of the local community in general.  "Jotun supports social programmes which are designed to help those in needs, empower individuals, and enable them to utilize their capabilities to strengthen the social fabric".

Aida Al Busaidy, Head of Internal Communications at Masdar emphasized:"Our participation in supporting this humanitarian project is a manifestation of the company's social responsibility programme. It represents a renewed round of cooperation with Takatof, which has proved highly effective in reaching out and serving all different parts of the Emirati community". 

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© Press Release 2011