Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Cares, has visited Al Ansari Exchange to honor Mohamed Ali Al Ansari, Chairman and Managing Director, Al Ansari Exchange, and Rashed Ali Al Ansari, General Manager, Al Ansari Exchange for fulfilling the company’s invaluable commitment of AED10 million that was pledged to Dubai Cares in 2012 over a period of five years in support of the global philanthropic organisation’s programmes in India, Pakistan and the Philippines.

Al Gurg also expressed his appreciation to Al Ansari Exchange for renewing its commitment in 2017 with a second pledge of AED10 million over five years that is being invested towards upscaling Dubai Cares’ programme in the Philippines.

During the meeting, Al Gurg highlighted the impact of Al Ansari Exchange’s contribution in the lives of children and young people as well as their families and communities. Since 2012, a total of 26 schools in Pakistan have been rehabilitated and outfitted with furniture, sanitation facilities, health-focused resources, as well as 26 para-teachers and 50 school-teachers received training.

In the Philippines, through Real Assets & Improved Skills & Education for Adolescent Girls (RAISE) and RAISE Higher programmes, 2,396 out-of-school children and youth were provided with the opportunity to access education with marginalised girls given life-skills training, reading classes and increased access to education in addition to 148 teachers benefited from training.

In India, the program enhanced literacy and numeracy skills, as well as improved early childhood education. The children in India now have access to 200 libraries and new educational materials to support their learning abilities.

As part of Al Ansari Exchange’s renewed commitment, Dubai Cares is scaling up its RAISE and RAISE Higher programmes in Philippines through the launch of the RAISE Above programme with a special focus on young women and men who are out of school and those who are in-school but are at risk of dropping out. The RAISE Above programme which targets 4,000 young women and men, aims to increase knowledge about education, gender equality and the availability of related services, and create an improved and enabling environment for the education, training and employment aspirations of young women and men.