Community urged to fund Al Noor Centre

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

Lack of funds is hampering the functioning of Al Noor Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities, which is providing around 40 per cent subsidy in fees for the students of determination, according to Khalid Al Halyan, Chairman of the Centre.

“We are in dire need of financial support of Dhs3.5 million for our students and carry out operations smoothly. We have been raising funds through various regular events but the gap is widening and the centre is introducing various options to raise funds like sponsorship of a child for a whole year, sponsorship of a multipurpose hall or naming a classroom,” he said, while addressing a gathering of Indian businessmen and members of the board at the centre on Thursday.

Vipul, Consul General of India, who also attended the event, said that “the UAE is the only place outside India with a huge number of Indians residing as around 3.2 million Indians are in the country in which scores of businessmen thrive in different fields. We are encouraging the philanthropists from the community to extend maximum support towards Al Noor Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities, having over 100 Indian students of determination out of a total 275 students of determination.”

He was invited to attend a special event to honour the three students of the centre who recently showcased their skills as mediapersons and covered the 12-day Special Olympics held in Abu Dhabi.

He also assured the board members and patrons of the centre that the Indian Consulate in Dubai would fully support them and through its huge community diaspora the message to seek financial support for the centre would be spread.

Khalid Al Halyan told the guests that they were providing around 40 per cent subsidy in fees to the children and "the current financial situation has widened the gap for us to meet the target."

He also said that to achieve the sustainable financial solutions for the centre, they started a number of initiatives like the construction of a residential building at an estimated cost of Dhs19 million in Warqa and setting up a community centre to provide job opportunities for students once they complete their studies and training at the centre.

“We have secured Dhs5 million from Emaar and are working hard to arrange the remaining amount to complete the project,” he said.