A UAE campaign that aims to raise awareness and funds to eradicate two neglected tropical diseases has already collected enough money to help three million people in Africa.
The Reach Campaign’s 50 Days to Transform Five Million Lives initiative was launched on October 14 and will run until the country’s Golden Jubilee.
The projects seeks to free dozens of countries from two parasitic infections: river blindness and lymphatic filariasis.
Organisers announced on Monday that the campaign had just passed the halfway point.
Several companies, such as Adnoc, Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Lulu Group International and Rivoli Group’s Watches & Vision Care divisions, organised events and promotions to help raise money.
Dubai Cares has pledged to donate Dh50,000 ($13,600) to the Reach Campaign.
Abu Dhabi Sports Council will donate a percentage of each runner’s entry fee to the 2021 Adnoc Abu Dhabi Marathon.
Meanwhile independent coffee shops BRDG, DRVN Coffee, Dialogue, H’s Coffee, Kava and Chai, Morsel, Notes, Pentagon, Shot, Coffee Architecture and Ten 11 will continue to offer in-store promotions until the end of the campaign.
The Reach Campaign has invited the public to contribute to the initiative by visiting the Dubai Cares webpage, by texting GIVE to 2424, or through Reach’s website: www.reachtheend.org.
All proceeds from the 50-day campaign will benefit the Reaching the Last Mile Fund (RLMF) to eliminate the two diseases in sub-Saharan Africa.
The End Fund, a philanthropic investment platform that aims to tackle the five most common neglected tropical diseases, manages the RLMF.
The 10-year, $100 million initiative was established in 2017 by Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, along with other supporters, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Elma Philanthropies.
All funds raised by the Reach Campaign are administered by the RLMF.
It offers preventive treatment for neglected tropical diseases and focuses on ways to eliminate them, such as investing in disease mapping efforts and supporting advanced labs and cross-border collaborations.
To date, the money raised has helped more than 800 million people across seven countries.
The Reach Campaign's drive aims to raise funds to support these activities and help protect at least five million people from river blindness and lymphatic filariasis.
“We are humbled by the level of support this vital initiative has received from various platforms across our community," said Tala Al Ramahi, acting managing director for the group.
"Our partners and participating brands have demonstrated once again the true values that have guided our nation in extending a hand to people in need.
“The campaign has worked with every partner to maximise our footprint, awareness and fundraising efforts. To know that we have the capacity to positively impact the lives of three million people so far is a remarkable milestone for which we are very grateful.”
What are neglected tropical diseases?
It is an umbrella term for a group of parasitic and bacterial infectious diseases that affect more than 1.7 billion of the world’s most marginalised and impoverished people, including more than one billion children.
The diseases tend to be neglected because they are not as deadly as others. About 170,000 people die from neglected tropical diseases every year, said Daniel Boakye, senior technical adviser of programmes at the End Fund.
River blindness, or onchocerciasis, is a parasitic infection caused by a worm. It is spread by repeated bites from a type of fly that lives near fast-flowing rivers.
The infection causes severe skin irritation and ultimately irreversible blindness. It mainly affects African countries.
Lymphatic filariasis is caused by tiny threadlike worms that live in the human lymph system. It is spread from person to person by mosquitoes.
Those who suffer from the condition are often shunned by their communities and unable to work owing to their symptoms, which can include swelling that becomes disfiguring.
UAE's drive to eradicate polio in Pakistan - in pictures
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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.
THE BIO
Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old
Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai
Favourite Book: The Alchemist
Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail
Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna
Favourite cuisine: Italian food
Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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
RESULTS
Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)
Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke
Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)
Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke
Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)
Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO
Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision
Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke
Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke
Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO
Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
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
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Palestine and Israel - live updates
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
