The half-billion dollar man

[N.O.R.F]

A very good man and a great leader for his people.

 

Dubai - The half-billion dollar man

 

Dubai - His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, yesterday pledged a phenomenal dhs1.7 billion to the 'Dubai Cares' charity. The contribution is equivalent to the funds raised by the rest of the campaign, bringing the grand total to dhs3.4 billion.

 

 

“I am a leader and I normally lead. But this time I waited so that I could equal the budget raised,” said Sheikh Mohammed to a packed Madinat Jumeirah auditorium. The announcement was welcomed with a huge round of applause as the Ruler of Dubai ended the eight-week drive, the aim of which was to raise enough to educate one million children in poor countries around the world.

He started his speech by thanking the thousands of people who participated in the fundraiser, but added that the real work had just begun. “It is now our priority to ensure these funds are allocated in an efficient and appropriate manner. I have directed officials to manage the money and channel our contributions to educate millions of children around the world,” Sheikh Mohammed said.

He was joined at the ceremony by his sons and daughters, who acted as ambassadors for the campaign. They toured several impoverished countries - including Yemen, Djibouti, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Chad and Sudan - to gain first-hand experience of the problems faced and met with government officials and students to personally review their requirements.

And earlier this month a team from Dubai Cares offered help to the more than 100 children in Chad who were allegedly kidnapped by a group of people from French charity Zoe's Ark.

“I now ask the United Nations to follow Dubai's model of charity work. We are leading the march for human welfare,” said Sheikh Mohammed, who had launched the fundraising drive on September 19 with the aim of helping the United Nations reach its goal of providing primary education to every child by 2015.

Thanking all those who contributed, Sheikh Mohammed specially mentioned the outstanding gesture of a young Emirati couple, Yousuf Yaqoub and his bride, who donated their wedding party expenses of dhs150, 000 to the initiative.

“This couple has made me feel proud and I am confident their values represent the spirit of a large number of the Emirati youth,” he said. Based on a long-term strategy of investing in community-based, education programmes, Dubai Cares will use the donations to build and renovate schools, train teachers, provide teaching materials, sport and recreation equipment, offer scholarships, organise school feeding programmes and encourage physical education in some of the poorest countries in the world.

source

[FatB]

yeah if i had 1.7b ill donate it too :rolleyes:

[Jacaylbaro]

North, waar niyow bal wuxuun inooga soo garooc meeshaas ,,