Azizi Developments, a leading private developer in the UAE, has donated Dhs600 million to the newly established Mother’s Endowment under the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI).
At a special event, Azizi Developments’ Founder and Chairman, Mr. Mirwais Azizi, Azizi’s CEO, Mr. Farhad Azizi, as well as other key senior leadership figures of the developer, presented plans for the donation to His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of MBRGI; and His Excellency Mohammed Al Gergawi, Secretary General of MBRGI.
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The Dhs600 million donation, the single biggest of its kind, will be used to develop schools and an education center, in a campus that is spread across 800,000 square feet, and that will accommodate over 5,000 students ranging from kindergarten all the way to 12th grade. A commercial section will also be developed with a view to ensuring the longer-term financial sustainability of the school complex.
In his comments, Mr. Mirwais Azizi, on behalf of Azizi Developments, said: “It is with great joy, gratitude, and humility that I announce Azizi Developments’ biggest yet philanthropic contribution to one of the many noble initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Coinciding with the holy month of Ramadan, both the Mother’s Endowment campaign and our own contribution are meant to underscore the spirit of giving and supporting those who are less fortunate.”
“Year after year, Dubai’s impact as a global leader in philanthropy, under the inspirational leadership of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is growing. Dubai has also been the cherished home of my family and I for several decades, and having given us so much – from safety to an abundance of opportunities – we take immense pride in being able to contribute to its momentous charitable initiatives,” he continued.
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The school campus will boast indoor and outdoor activities, including football, tennis, basketball, multi-use play courts, and swimming pools. Other amenities include a central learning street to encourage interaction between students and teachers outside formal classroom settings, a state-of-the-art digitized library, media interaction hubs, food technology labs and rooftop hydroponic vegetable gardens, 3D printing facilities, as well as facilities dedicated to entrepreneurship education and development of innovation.
To help ensure the school’s financial sustainability, 30,000 square feet of retail space will be also developed adjacent to the school plot.
The campus will be built on a solid sustainable approach using photovoltaic panels, recycling water and other sustainable measures to enable it to reach the equivalent of LEED Gold or Sa’fat Gold green building certification.
This historic contribution is part of Azizi’s wide-ranging CSR efforts in the UAE and globally, covering everything from sustainability, equality, health, and education. Azizi also sponsors sporting events and is currently the pillar partner of the Dubai World Cup for the 7th consecutive year. Azizi Developments partners with – and makes substantial donations to – various social inclusion facilities, including the Rashid Centre for the Determined Ones, the Dubai Autism Center, and the Special Needs Future Development Center.
Last Ramadan, Azizi has donated Dhs100 million to the 1 Billion Meals initiative to help eradicate world hunger and malnutrition. Moreover, the developer is building a cancer center, a hospital, a dialysis center, and the largest orphanage in Afghanistan, has granted thousands of scholarships to students in Afghanistan, and has distributed 1.5 million food and necessity parcels nationwide to help those in need, among other efforts.
Organized under the MBRGI umbrella, the Mothers’ Endowment campaign allows contributors to honor their mothers by making donations in their name to help support underprivileged communities sustainably through education. The campaign also promotes the values of honoring parents, kindness, compassion, and solidarity, while bolstering the UAE’s humanitarian role.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
