DUBAI - The Hussain Sajwani – DAMAC Foundation, a joint venture between DAMAC Properties and its Chairman, Hussain Sajwani, has pledged AED3 million to the Arab Hope Makers initiative, which was held at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.

On behalf of his foundation, Hussain Sajwani, who attended the grand finale of the Arab Hope Makers 2020, pledged his contribution for the initiative’s Humanitarian Cause of the Year - the construction of the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre in Egypt.

Once complete, the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre, which is the vision of one of the world’s most respected cardiac surgeons, Dr. Magdi Yacoub, will provide free-of-charge cardiac care and open-heart surgeries to underprivileged families in the region. The new facility will serve 80,000 patients annually and conduct 12,000 surgeries, of which 70 percent will target children.

Speaking at the event, Sajwani said, "I am honoured to be part of the Hope Makers initiative endorsed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. It is an honour to be able to support the construction of Dr. Magdi Yacoub’s healthcare centre in Cairo, which will help thousands of Arab children and adults suffering from heart diseases. DAMAC Properties and I take great pride in playing an active role in the community in which we serve. We believe that the Private sector must contribute to humanitarian causes to support the sustainable development of the region." The Arab Hope Makers initiative was launched in 2017, by the Ruler of Dubai to honour individuals, teams or entities who work towards making a positive difference in society without seeking personal gain.

The Hussain Sajwani – DAMAC Foundation has been actively working towards causes that improve the quality of life and community structures in the Arab world. In 2017, the foundation sponsored the One Million Arab Coders imitative, which provides free programming training for one million young Arabs across the region.

The programme has over 700,000 registered students being trained and empowered with the essential future skills required for the labour market by learning the language of the future; coding.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2020.