Sharjah [UAE], August 25: The Sharjah Charity International (SCI) spent AED84.3 million on aid programmes within the country during the first half of this year. This includes AED6.7 million for monthly aid, AED31.2 million for seasonal programmes, and AED39.6 million for lump-sum aid. Additional aid was also provided to those eligible, according to a report by the Department of Excellence and Strategic Planning.
Abdullah bin Khadim, Executive Director of the Sharjah Charity International emphasised that internal aid is a priority for the association, carrying values that positively impact beneficiaries by promoting happiness, living stability, family cohesion, and loyalty. He noted that one-time aid, totalling AED39.6 million, included AED15 million for medical aid, benefiting 743 patients, particularly those with life-threatening conditions like viral hepatitis, cancer, and kidney failure. The aid covered essential treatments, such as liver transplants, heart surgeries, eye surgeries, caesarean sections, prosthetics, and more. The association relies on charitable individuals to support these critical needs.
He added that housing assistance worth AED8.3 million was provided to 906 beneficiaries. This aid covered the restoration and maintenance of dilapidated homes and the provision of essential appliances and furniture, based on field studies and social research reports for each family. The assistance also included settling overdue rent for those unable to pay, as well as covering electricity and water bills that had been cut off due to accumulated arrears and irregular payments caused by their difficult living conditions.
The Executive Director of the Sharjah Charity International stated that, in support of students from low-income families, educational assistance totalling AED4.8 million was provided. This aid covered tuition fees and supplied tablets to over 680 students. Additionally, the association helped 1,100 individuals secure their release from penal and correctional facilities by paying off their debts in collaboration with the relevant authorities.
Bin Khadim continued that the total cash assistance provided to eligible recipients, including orphans, widows, divorcees, and those who have lost their livelihood, amounted to AED6.7 million during the first half of the year. This assistance is granted for a specific period, typically 6 months, and is renewable based on the family's circumstances, as determined by the assistance committee and social research reports. The goal of this monthly aid is to help families improve their living conditions and stability, enabling them to become self-reliant so that the association can support other approved cases.
Bin Khadim explained that the association provided a total of AED31.2 million in seasonal aid during the first half of the year. This included the Ramadan campaign "Joud," which covered Iftar projects, Ramadan provisions, Zakat Al-Fitr, Zakat Al-Mal, and Eid clothing. Additionally, the Winter campaign provided winter clothes and heavy blankets to workers, serving as a gesture of gratitude and appreciation for their dedicated efforts in serving the nation and contributing to its esteemed image.
In the first half of this year, the association distributed meals to the needy, low-income individuals, and workers across the UAE as part of its ongoing "Feeding Food" charitable project. This initiative, which includes Iftar for the fasting, expiation for fasting, oath and vow fulfilments, Aqeeqah, and feeding the poor, was carried out at a cost of AED3.2 million.
The association has carried out several projects under its community participation programmes within the country, totaling AED3.4 million. These efforts were made possible through the support of benefactors, significantly enhancing partnerships between the association and other country institutions. This collaboration improved the quality of services provided to the public by these institutions. The support focused on assisting members of organisations that operate within a humanitarian framework aligned with the SCI's goals.
Source: Emirates News Agency