Donations reach Dh86.1m that can provide clean drinking water to 3.444 million people
The UAE Water Aid campaign’s humanitarian contributions have reached Dh86.1 million on the sixth day of its launch. The amount collected can provide fresh drinking water for 3,444 million persons from developing countries; this number constitutes 69 per cent of the five million persons the campaign is targeting.
The UAE Water Aid campaign has witnessed great reaction from public and private sectors in addition to businessmen and civil society organisations.
The Water Aid Campaign was launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan, to provide access to fresh drinking water for five million persons around the world who suffer from shortage of potable water. World Health Organisation (WHO) figures show that a child dies every 21 seconds from a water-related illness and 9,863 people die every day from thirst and water-related diseases.
The sixth day of the humanitarian initiative included among others Dh5 million from Dubai World Trade Centre which will provide clean drinking water for 200,000 people in the developing countries, Dh300,000 from Ahmed Sultan bin Sulayem which will provide clean drinking water for 12,000 people andDh250,000 from Dubai Contracting Company which will provide clean drinking water for 10,000 people. Fatima Mohammed donated Dh100,000 to become the first housewife contributor. Her contribution will bring clean drinking water to 4,000 people in developing countries.
The UAE Water Aid campaign has received a broad welcome locally, regionally and internationally, confirming that the UAE is a country of giving and its prudent leadership is an example of generosity. The UAE people’s immediate response to the campaign underlines the noble values of the people of country. Media have valued the UAE’s role as a real capital of humanitarian activities, highly commending the valuable role of Shaikh Mohammed in the various areas of charitable and humanitarian work.
The UAE Water Aid campaign comes in the light of the aggravation of water scarcity issue in many parts of the world over the past decades. This scarcity has resulted in threatening the life of millions of people, heralding grave dangers if world countries and international bodies do not initiate prompt plans and strategies so as to bring forward radical solutions for this issue in afflicted areas.
World Health Organisation (WHO) figures show that more than 3.4 million die every year due to thirst and diseases caused by unclean water.
