Struggling families can apply to receive financial support to pay school fees, the Abu Dhabi government said on Sunday.
A public fund worth tens of millions of dirhams was set up to help parents who have seen wages cut or jobs lost.
The programme extends to cash for food and help with rent, if needed.
The 'Together We Are Good' drive is being run by the Authority of Social Contribution - Ma'an, with the support of Abu Dhabi's Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek).
Many parents are now more than ever facing challenges in paying school fees due to a short-term loss of income or unemployment
The fund is for "parents with children attending private schools in Abu Dhabi who are affected by the current economic challenges, by paying school fees or providing devices for distance learning," Abu Dhabi Government Media Office said.
Families can apply for support with education expenses, healthcare, food, basic needs by contacting Ma'an on 800-3088 or by visiting http://togetherwearegood.ae.
The closing date for applications is 23rd April 2020. The programme also provides for families who need essential devices for their children such as tablets or laptops.
"We recognise that in the current circumstances, some families may require special support," said Adek chairperson Sara Musallam.
"Many parents are now more than ever facing challenges in paying school fees due to a short-term loss of income or unemployment. In these unprecedented times, it is only right that we extend a helping hand to support them."
In other developments, a top judge reiterated a new law that compels firms laying off staff to pay the 'housing allowance' part of the employee's salary until they find a new job or leave the country.
Abdulla Al Nuaimi, head of the Abu Dhabi Labour Court, urged anyone who was denied the settlement to contact the labour court in their emirate. His court has dealt with 400 claims since the crisis began, he said.
Also on Sunday, the UAE government said it was considering measures against countries that have refused to allow expats to return home. Officials did not state which countries were being considered.
In Abu Dhabi, Adek said parents should apply through the website listed and then contact their school. They will also have to provide proof of loss of earnings.
Employees who have taken a pay cut or unpaid leave will have to submit proof of a change in salary, in the form of bank statements and letter from their employer.
If they have lost their job, a copy of the termination letter would have to be submitted. Self-employed residents would have to submit financial statements showing the impact on earnings from January to March.
The fund was made possible by donations from private individuals and from public and private sector companies.
Among them were members of the royal family, including Sheikh Sultan bin Hamdan, who pledged Dh20 million, the government media office said.
Ma'an can accept donations small and large through a text message, WhatsApp and phone number service.
“I continue to be humbled by the generosity of spirit and kindness from individuals and organisations across Abu Dhabi who have contributed to ‘Together We Are Good’," said Salama Al Ameemi, director general of Ma’an.
"Every day, we are receiving offers of assistance from all sectors – both public and private – and each contribution is highly valued and appreciated. As this partnership shows, your contributions are making a real difference to the lives of people across Abu Dhabi.”
Many families have become reliant on support from charities and community groups in recent weeks.
Shukoor Ali Kallungal, president of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre in Abu Dhabi, said his organisation has taken 50 to 100 calls each day.
The group delivered 10 tonnes of food to about 1,500 families who have suffered lost earnings in the past two weeks.
Many were sales employees in stores and for suppliers, while others ran small businesses selling mobile phones, textiles and watch repair.
“Many work on a commission basis and have targets that they cannot meet [while their employer is closed] so with no commission, their income is zero. This is the on-the-ground reality," he said.
"We will ask them to contact the government number for help. This is a humanitarian gesture and is highly appreciated."
Edgar Bacason, who co-ordinates programmes supported by the Philippines Embassy, said help from the relief fund was much needed, and knew of families in which both husband and wife are out of work.
There are people who were between jobs before the virus attacked and who would hire them now
“It is a very tight situation families are facing and we are going to need as much as help as we can get,” he said.
“There are people who were between jobs before the virus attacked and now they too need assistance. Their chance of getting employed is much less, if not zero, because who would hire them now?”
Monica Malik, chief economist at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, said the relief fund was important "as it directly supports households impacted".
She said any financial relief for households and businesses could prevent "a more marked and extended economic downturn from a secondary round effect from Covid-19".
Those who wish to contribute financially to the fund can send SMS messages to 6670 (Dh1000), 6678 (Dh500), 6683 (Dh100) and 6658 (Dh50). They can also call 8005-MAAN for volunteering and financial contributions above Dh1,000.
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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
The specs: 2018 Jaguar F-Type Convertible
Price, base / as tested: Dh283,080 / Dh318,465
Engine: 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 295hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.2L / 100km
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Results
2pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m, Winner: AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,200m, Winner: AF Sahwa, Nathan Crosse, Mohamed Ramadan.
3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,000m, Winner: AF Thobor, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 2,000m, Winner: AF Mezmar, Szczepan Mazur, Ernst Oertel.
4pm: Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum Cup presented by Longines (TB) Dh 200,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Galvanize, Nathan Cross, Doug Watson.
4.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 40,000 (D) 1,700m, Winner: Ajaj, Bernardo Pinheiro, Mohamed Daggash.
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
THE NEW BATCH'S FOCUS SECTORS
AiFlux – renewables, oil and gas
DevisionX – manufacturing
Event Gates – security and manufacturing
Farmdar – agriculture
Farmin – smart cities
Greener Crop – agriculture
Ipera.ai – space digitisation
Lune Technologies – fibre-optics
Monak – delivery
NutzenTech – environment
Nybl – machine learning
Occicor – shelf management
Olymon Solutions – smart automation
Pivony – user-generated data
PowerDev – energy big data
Sav – finance
Searover – renewables
Swftbox – delivery
Trade Capital Partners – FinTech
Valorafutbol – sports and entertainment
Workfam – employee engagement
Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Read more about the coronavirus
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TCL INFO
Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
School counsellors on mental well-being
Schools counsellors in Abu Dhabi have put a number of provisions in place to help support pupils returning to the classroom next week.
Many children will resume in-person lessons for the first time in 10 months and parents previously raised concerns about the long-term effects of distance learning.
Schools leaders and counsellors said extra support will be offered to anyone that needs it. Additionally, heads of years will be on hand to offer advice or coping mechanisms to ease any concerns.
“Anxiety this time round has really spiralled, more so than from the first lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic,” said Priya Mitchell, counsellor at The British School Al Khubairat in Abu Dhabi.
“Some have got used to being at home don’t want to go back, while others are desperate to get back.
“We have seen an increase in depressive symptoms, especially with older pupils, and self-harm is starting younger.
“It is worrying and has taught us how important it is that we prioritise mental well-being.”
Ms Mitchell said she was liaising more with heads of year so they can support and offer advice to pupils if the demand is there.
The school will also carry out mental well-being checks so they can pick up on any behavioural patterns and put interventions in place to help pupils.
At Raha International School, the well-being team has provided parents with assessment surveys to see how they can support students at home to transition back to school.
“They have created a Well-being Resource Bank that parents have access to on information on various domains of mental health for students and families,” a team member said.
“Our pastoral team have been working with students to help ease the transition and reduce anxiety that [pupils] may experience after some have been nearly a year off campus.
"Special secondary tutorial classes have also focused on preparing students for their return; going over new guidelines, expectations and daily schedules.”
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The bio
Favourite book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite travel destination: Maldives and south of France
Favourite pastime: Family and friends, meditation, discovering new cuisines
Favourite Movie: Joker (2019). I didn’t like it while I was watching it but then afterwards I loved it. I loved the psychology behind it.
Favourite Author: My father for sure
Favourite Artist: Damien Hurst
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
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About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
57%20Seconds
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