UAE delivers 2,000 tonnes of aid to Syria to support earthquake relief effort

An Emirati ship containing more than 2,000 tonnes of crucial aid has arrived in Syria to support relief efforts following February's devastating earthquake.

The shipment, loaded with food supplies, medical equipment and winter clothing, was sent to the Syrian port of Latakia on the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed, as part of the UAE's Operation Gallant Knight 2 mission — a humanitarian operation to support people affected by the deadly natural disaster that struck Syria and neighbouring Turkey.

The death toll from the earthquakes and subsequent aftershocks stands at more than 50,000, with millions more affected.

The Emirates previously sent 1,000 tonnes of aid to Syria in March.

The latest 2,215 tonnes of aid includes 1,040 tonnes of food, 600 tonnes of relief and medical assistance and a further 573 tonnes of building materials.

The vital assistance is being led by the Emirates Red Crescent, the charitable arm of the UAE government.

‘’The ERC will continue to scale up its humanitarian response for the best interest of the quake-affected people in Syria and Turkey as part of Operation Gallant Knight 2," said Dr Hamdan Al Mazrouei, chairman of the ERC board.

’"We are acting and moving in different directions to relieve the suffering caused by the disaster.’’

The aid will be distributed to those in need in co-ordination with the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.

Amer Ismail Hilal, Governor of Latakia, thanked the UAE for its sustained support in the wake of the disaster.

The UAE launched the Bridges of Goodness public donation campaign in February in response to the unfolding humanitarian crisis.

Thousands of volunteers have given up their time to help pack goods bound for Turkey and Syria at events held across the country in recent weeks.

UAE relief effort — in pictures

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, attended the Bridges of Giving collection. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, at the Bridges of Giving collection. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Thousands turned out to take part in the collection at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Photo: Dubai Media Office

Volunteers packing Emirates Red Crescent aid boxes for the affected people by earthquakes in Syria and Turkey. Pawan Singh / The National

Sara Al Nuaimi, director of Mohammed Bin Rashid Global Initiative, said the aid will be flown out almost immediately. Pawan Singh / The National

The target by the end of the day is to fill about 15,000 aid boxes. Pawan Singh / The National

Joana Talostan, who has relatives in Aleppo and Damascus, said she wanted to help as much as possible. Pawan Singh / The National

Danish Ahmed, volunteer at the Dubai World Trade Centre in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National

Volunteers making aid boxes for survivors of the earthquake that struck near the Turkey-Syria border on February 6. Pawan Singh / The National

Donating your hair

• Your hair should be least 30 cms long, as some of the hair is lost during manufacturing of the wigs.
    •    Clean, dry hair in good condition (no split ends) from any gender, and of any natural colour, is required.
    •    Straight, wavy, curly, permed or chemically straightened is permitted.
    •    Dyed hair must be of a natural colour

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

Top tips

Create and maintain a strong bond between yourself and your child, through sensitivity, responsiveness, touch, talk and play. “The bond you have with your kids is the blueprint for the relationships they will have later on in life,” says Dr Sarah Rasmi, a psychologist.
Set a good example. Practise what you preach, so if you want to raise kind children, they need to see you being kind and hear you explaining to them what kindness is. So, “narrate your behaviour”.
Praise the positive rather than focusing on the negative. Catch them when they’re being good and acknowledge it.
Show empathy towards your child’s needs as well as your own. Take care of yourself so that you can be calm, loving and respectful, rather than angry and frustrated.
Be open to communication, goal-setting and problem-solving, says Dr Thoraiya Kanafani. “It is important to recognise that there is a fine line between positive parenting and becoming parents who overanalyse their children and provide more emotional context than what is in the child’s emotional development to understand.”