Bringing smiles to faces of thousands

Charitable organisations do work that is praiseworthy and brings succour to the affected. One stellar model is the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), which has proved it with telling efficacy. Take, for instance, the solidarity and support of the UAE for the hapless Rohingya women and children. Around one million of them now languish in sprawling refugee camps from various waves of persecution.

Her Highness Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak, Chairperson of the General Women’s Union, GWU, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairperson of the Family Development Foundation, FDF, praised the humanitarian mission undertaken by the ERC female relief team in Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. Sheikha Fatima, who is also Honorary Chairperson of the ERC, said their mission was crucial.

Sheikha Fatima has donated Dhs10 million to the UAE’s humanitarian campaign for Rohingya refugees, especially children and women among them, to alleviate their suffering.

The Rohingya drive is just one example of the ERC’s shining work among the downtrodden and underprivileged.

Whether it is helping those hit by natural disasters, tackling major diseases, providing water to areas hit by such shortages, the ERC has done commendable service. A report last year said the UAE formed a national emergency committee to provide relief assistance to people affected by flash floods in the Indian state of Kerala. The committee would be chaired by the ERC, and include representatives from UAE’s humanitarian organisations.

Two years ago, a group of 90 injured Yemenis and their medical escorts, left for India to continue their medical treatment, under a special programme sponsored by the ERC.

The ERC launched several development projects in Sudan, as part of its initiatives during the Year of Tolerance.

The ERC’s projects include a water project in Kasla Province, Eastern Sudan, which is part of a wider UAE Water Aid project to dig 10 artesian wells and construct water distribution stations.

An ERC delegation also inaugurated two new dialysis units in Khartoum and Al Hawsh, Jazeerah Province, supervised the distribution of Ramadan Mir to local beneficiaries, and organised Ramadan Iftar in many areas.

The ERC is also providing water in areas suffering from scarce supplies, which is among its leading projects that aim to assist local citizens.

The charitable body has strengthened humanitarian aid and development efforts in Ethiopia by launching several development projects.

The ERC also launched a health campaign to combat eye diseases in Morocco, which benefited 5,000 people in remote villages and regions.

An ERC delegation recently visited Ethiopia and launched the first phase of the authority’s residential project, and several educational projects.

The ERC is continuing deploying relief aid in Malawi in support of the victims of the tropical cyclone Idai, which hit several African nations recently.

Political differences do not hamper its operations. The ERC has sent a relief plane to Tehran carrying 95 tonnes of humanitarian aid to support those affected by the floods in Iran.

This helped ease the suffering of Iranian citizens affected by the floods.

Clearly the ERC seeks to bring smiles on the faces of everyone affected by the magnitude – and magnanimity – of its operations. The ERC aims to make humanity happy, just like the nation, and one hopes that it continues to do so with its excellent work.