Mohammed crowns Al Falasi as Arab Hope Maker, rewards Dhs5m to five finalists

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum honoured Emirati philanthropist Ahmed Al Falasi, the grand winner of Arab Hope Makers 2020 for his humanitarian work, along with other winners.

Sheikh Mohammed crowned Ahmed Al Falasi and his family from the UAE, who devoted his time and money to helping those in need and people with kidney failure and providing health care facilities to treat the poor and needy in Africa, with the Hope Makers’ award in its third season.

Sheikh Mohammed awarded the five Arab Hope Makers finalists Dhs1 million each, crowning Ahmed Al Falasi, from the UAE, as the Arab Hope Maker 2020 for his humanitarian work in establishing advanced kidney dialysis centres and incubators in Kenya’s Mombasa, following an audience vote at a grand variety show in City Walk’s Coca-Cola Arena.

Sheikh Mohammed with the winners of Arab Hope Makers 2020. WAM

The winner Ahmed Al Falasi, after the losing his mother to a disease, turned hope for more than 1,200,000 in Mombasa, Kenya, by transforming the city's government hospital into the most advanced hospital in the country.

Sheikh Mohammed also honoured Professor Magdi Yacoub, “With the scarf of Mohammed Bin Rashid for Humanitarian Action” on the sidelines of the Arab Hope Makers event.

Sheikh Mohammed poses for a photograph with the winners of Arab Hope Makers 2020. WAM

More than Dhs40 million were donated by Emirati and Arab entities and individuals hope makers, to support the new Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre in Egypt, a noble humanitarian project that aims to provide free cardiac care to vulnerable communities.

Sheikh Mohammed said, “The Emirates will continue to embrace the industry of goodness, hope and positivity in our Arab world... and will remain an incubator for all Arabs... and the love of good will remain in our Arab world continuing and accelerating…”

An Arab singer performs during the event. WAM

Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai donated an amount equal to the amount of contributions collected during the Hope Makers event for the project of building the Magdi Yacoub Hospital in Egypt.

The hospital will provide free treatment and perform more than 12,000 surgeries annually for heart patients, of which 70% will be children.