Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (AMAF) announced the establishment of its first-ever education endowment, jointly set up under the names of Dawlat Mahmood Al Mahmoud and her late husband Abdulghafoor Ali Gargash with a donation of AED20 million. Annual revenues from the endowment will finance the university education of minors and orphans under AMAF’s care.
The education endowment is the largest of its kind received by AMAF to date, and reflects a mature understanding of the Emirati culture of endowment that supports government efforts in meeting basic human needs and aids long-term sustainable development. Educational and health endowments in particular, create successful models for sustainable charity work and reinforce the value of social capital when used in the right place.
Revenues from the education endowment will be dedicated towards offering outstanding orphans in AMAF’s care university scholarships to study at the University of Dubai, University of Sharjah, Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and other national and international universities operating in the UAE. Furthermore, beneficiary students will be encouraged to pursue specializations that are in demand in the labor market and support the UAE’s plans and strategies to enhance its global competitiveness in the future.
As a gesture of appreciation for Mrs Mahmoud’s and her late husband generous allocation, Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation has announced that it will name the library at its Family Village to recognize their contributions to the education of AMAF’s minors.
Applauding Dawlat Al Mahmoud’s and her late husband generous gesture, His Excellency Tayeb Al-Rais, Secretary General of AMAF, said: “This initiative marks an important milestone in the UAE’s journey of endowment and charity work. We hope it will inspire Emirati citizens to invest in the country’s human capital through similar education endowment initiatives, whose revenues are dedicated to supporting education, knowledge and sustainable development.”
He added: “The amount of the donation will be carefully invested in financial instruments on AMAF’s behalf. Annual revenues garnered from these investments will support the higher education costs of several orphans and minors under AMAF’s care at national and global universities. We believe such efforts will significantly help in shaping the skills required in the nation’s workforce of the future.”
Drawing upon the experiences of several countries across the globe with regard to education endowments, Al-Rais said: “As Muslims and Emiratis, we have a rich heritage of supporting humanitarian and charitable initiatives. We are inspired by the legacy of the founding father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and our wise leadership in developing the education sector in a bid to support the emerging knowledge economy.”
Al-Rais concluded: “As the Year of Giving draws to an end, and we gear up to welcome the Year of Zayed, this generous donation is a clear message that nations can only advance with the efforts and loyalty of their people. Emiratis will continue to serve as role models in generosity as they prioritize the greater good of the country and the world at large. At AMAF, we are resolved to continuing our efforts to spread the culture of giving and charity through collaborating with like-minded individuals and entities for the benefit of the country and its people.”
