Eight ways DAMAC has given back to society
DAMAC takes its corporate social responsibility seriously. It is an inherent aspect of the company’s culture; a deeply rooted commitment born out of a desire to give back to the community that has given the organisation, and the Sajwani family, so much.
In establishing the Hussain Sajwani – DAMAC Foundation (HSDF), we hope to give our passion for service an active, operational platform to help turn our commitment into a reality and ensure that our corporate social responsibility initiatives have multiplier effects that will have both immediate and long-term impact on the development of the communities where we operate.
While our focus is on education and enhancing youth skills that will enable them to become productive members of society, we also engage in charitable initiatives that provide a wide range of assistance that benefit the underserved and marginalised sectors of society.
Here are some of the ways we have shared our time and resources in the name of public service:
1. ‘One Million Arab Coders’ initiative
Fully committed to advancing education and learning of Arab youth across the region, we partnered with the Dubai Future Foundation in supporting the ‘One Million Arab Coders’ Initiative’ that was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which seeks to provide software development training and the language of coding to one million people across the Arab world. More than one million students have enrolled in courses administered by Udacity and Microsoft since the project launched in 2017 and it has successfully wrapped up this May.
2. 1 Billion meals initiative
HSDF pledged AED 5 million to the ‘1 Billion Meals’ campaign, aimed at providing food parcels for disadvantaged individuals and families across 50 countries during the Holy Month of Ramadan in 2021.
3. Fresh slate initiative
HSDF earmarked AED 2 million to aid detainees in Dubai’s Punitive and Correctional Institutions who have been charged with petty offences. Fresh Slate pays off current financial obligations of detainees, both male and female, so they can be released, allowing them to return to their families and look after their welfare, give them a fresh opportunity to turn their life around, and eventually become productive members of society. The first batch of detainees were released in April of this year coinciding with Eid Al Fitr and the second batch will be released on Eid Al Adha.
4. Distance learning
In efforts to provide inclusive education to people of determination, HSDF supported the Ministry of Education’s project that provided electronic devices to children under the care of the Al Hadaf Centre for People of Determination, that is now helping them to continue their education through distance learning.
Health, rehabilitation and education services
To celebrate the Zayed Day for Humanitarian Action, the foundation provided health, rehabilitation and education services to the Al-Tariq Rehabilitation and Autism Centre that benefitted different groups of people of determination, providing various forms of services that support their rehabilitation and well-being and continued learning.
5. COVID relief
Humanity faced one of its worst crises with the onslaught of the COVID pandemic. In addition to looking after the well-being of DAMAC Group employees, HSDF responded to the UAE leadership’s call for action and support by donating AED 1 million that provided 125,000 meals to communities affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in the UAE.
6. Arab Hope Makers
The Arab Hope Makers initiative sought to support causes that provided meaningful service to the community, and to foster hope among sectors of society that need it the most. HSDF pledged AED 3 million to the initiative’s Humanitarian Cause of the Year that paved the way for the construction of the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre in Egypt, which will help thousands of Arab children and adults suffering from heart diseases free-of-charge.
7. Dubai Schools Initiative
In response to the initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, HSDF recently announced it will be providing education scholarships for UAE nationals under the Dubai Schools Project.
Starting from the 2022-2023 academic year, children who are eligible will be awarded scholarships in accordance with the criteria set by the Dubai Schools Project.
8. Pipeline projects
A third campaign is set to be launched later in the year in support of young entrepreneurs and SMEs. Youth development and empowerment is an on-going process from generation to generation, for which there is no defined lifespan. The foundation aims to give back to its community for as long as we are in business and as long as there is a need for this support.
We are thankful for the opportunity to play a developmental role in building a sustainable society for generations to come; and hope that our work will inspire others to create ever widening ripples of compassion that will create a better future for the UAE and beyond.
