Dress One Million Needy Children Campaign raised Dh28 million, enough for over 700,000 children

Dubai, July 18, 2013 (WAM) - The UAE Initiative to Dress One Million Needy Children has so far raised Dh 28.1 million in donation which will clothe 702,611 needy children across the world, the supervisory committee announced yesterday. Launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the campaign aims to dress one million needy children around the world through mobilising donations during the Holy Month of Ramadan. The committee said in a statement the Red Crescent Authority, which oversees the implementation of the campaign, will reach out to thousands of poor children in four countries; Albania, Lebanon, Tanzania and India. Till now, the statement said, the children in Bosnia, Yemen and Syrian refugee children in Jordan have get their share of donations. RCA Secretary General Dr. Mohammed Al Falahi, said targeting children as the most vulnerable group in the society regardless of their colour, race or faith adds a special momentum to the humanitarian initiative, which seeks to reach out to as many children as it could. He noted that beneficiary countries had been selected based on previous reports on their humanitarian situation and the number of underprivileged children. ''The campaign targets countries that have high poverty rates and experience repercussions of disasters, crises and wars,'' he added. The campaign will conclude on 19 Ramadan to coincide with the ninth death anniversary of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and the Emirati Humanitarian Work Day , an annual event hosted in the memory of the nation's founding father.