Nakheel donates AED 7 million to Free the Children's water sanitation projects
Picture shows (left to right): Catherine Zeta Jones, Craig Kielburger (Chair and founder of Free the Children), Manal Shaheen (Nakheel's Director of Sales, Marketing and Customer Service), Michael Douglas (actor and Free the Children supporter)
Dubai, October 6th, 2008
Dubai's master developer, Nakheel, today announced that it is donating AED 7 million (US$ 1.9 million) to water sanitation programmes run by the Free the Children organisation in third world countries. Free the Children supporter and actor, Michael Douglas, took time out from filming this week to visit Dubai and receive the donation from Nakheel.
The Nakheel donation, which is part of its long-term partnership with Free the Children, will be spent in programmes addressing water sanitation and water access issues in third world countries, including Kenya and Sri Lanka, thus positively impacting the lives of about 200,000 people. According to United Nations health reports, Water and sanitation are the largest issues affecting the world's population.
"Many of us take access to clean and safe water for granted. We are very pleased to be partnering with Free the Children to help make this a reality for people living in harsh environments in the third world," Manal Shaheen, Nakheel's Director of Sales, Marketing and Customer Services, said.
"This year our Ramadan charity programme has focussed on water, and our total commitment has reached AED 10 million including a donation to Bait al Khair for its valuable work in the Northern Emirates. We are looking forward to many more such campaigns both at home and abroad, as our vision to inspire humanity has no borders," she added.
Accompanying Michael Douglas on the trip to Dubai was Free the Children founder and Chair, Craig Kielburger, who founded the organisation in 1995 when he was just 12 years old to start fighting child labour. Today the charity is the largest network of children helping children through education, with more than one million people involved in innovative education and development programmes in 45 countries.
"We are proud to be associated with Free the Children, which, through partnerships with exceptional public, private and humanitarian organizations and the support of forward-thinking foundations, is enhancing its impact around the world," Manal Shaheen reiterated.
