Sunny Varkey, founder of Gems Education, and his family have donated Dh100 million to a fund launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to support people in need.
The Fathers’ Endowment campaign was created to provide "treatment and health care to the poor and needy". The campaign continues the UAE's long-standing tradition of generosity since the nation's founding, said Mr Varkey, who stressed its positive impact had reached communities worldwide.
"I have been fortunate that I grew up in a family where charity was ingrained in us from a very early age," he said. "Since we moved to the UAE, my father made sure to share and engage with the community, supporting humanitarian initiatives and helping others. To this day, our underlying philosophy remains to prioritise giving.
"We are proud to participate in this noble initiative and to belong to the UAE community, where generosity and support for the needy are deeply ingrained, especially during Ramadan. The overwhelming support for the Fathers' Endowment campaign, aiming to provide sustainable healthcare, is a testament to this commitment."
The initiative, which coincides with Ramadan, was inspired by the role fathers play in society. People in the UAE have been encouraged to make donations in their fathers' names. It was announced earlier this month the campaign had already raised more than Dh3.3 billion – more than three times its initial target.
The Fathers’ Endowment campaign is the latest initiative launched by Sheikh Mohammed to mark the holy month each year. The Mothers' Endowment campaign was introduced last year to mark Ramadan. It aimed to support the education of millions around the world raising at least Dh1 billion. It surpassed that goal, reaching more than Dh1.4 billion.
Previous campaigns launched to mark Ramadan include the 10 Million Meals initiative of 2020, which secured more than 15.3 million meals for communities affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The 100 Million Meals campaign was launched in 2021, collecting 220 million meals for vulnerable groups, while the 1 Billion Meals of 2022 achieved its goal in less than a month. In 2023, the 1 Billion Meals Endowment raised Dh1.075 billion.
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
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Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
'Operation Mincemeat'
Director: John Madden
Cast: Colin Firth, Matthew Macfayden, Kelly Macdonald and Penelope Wilton
Rating: 4/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Look north
BBC business reporters, like a new raft of government officials, are being removed from the national and international hub of London and surely the quality of their work must suffer.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The Dictionary of Animal Languages
Heidi Sopinka
Scribe
The biog
Name: Younis Al Balooshi
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Doctorate degree in forensic medicine at the University of Bonn
Hobbies: Drawing and reading books about graphic design
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
