March 23, 2023:  The Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Department in Dubai & Dubai Sports Council (DSC) have announced the launch of a new sports initiative in partnership with Plan B Group, under title “A Step for Life”, aiming to encourage members in society to contribute to charitable work and to link between sport & charitable activities through participating in walking and equivaling their steps versus amount of money for the sake of Al-Jalila Foundation. 

  
The initiative's details were declared in a press conference, convened at DSC's premises, and addressed by H.E. Saeed Hareb, the Secretary General of DSC / H.E. Ahmed Darweesh Al-Muhairi, the CEO of the Charity Sector in the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Dept., in the presence of H.E. Naser Aman Al-Rahma, Assistant Secretary General of DSC / Mr. Saeed Ali Al-Ajel, Vice President of the UAE Sports for All Federation, and Ms. Kholoud Salem Al-Junaibi, Secretary General of the Federation / Dr. Aamer Al Zarouni, CEO of Al Jalila Foundation / Dr. Harmik Singh, Chairman of Plan B Group / Mr. Ali Omar, Director of Sports Events Dept. in DSC / media's representatives.

H.E. Saeed Hareb welcomed the attendees and congratulated them on the occasion of the Mother's Day and the advent of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

He stated: “We are pleased to launch a fruitful charitable initiative under title “A Step for Life”, in collaboration with the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Dept. in Dubai, aiming to boost the culture of the exercise of sport & physical activities and to link the same with charitable work. The initiative is held in partnership with Plan B Co.”.

He added: “The initiative is clear and wonderful in terms of the idea, and it will also be wonderful in terms of implementation too. It states that the more you walk, the much money will be paid by the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department for charitable works. Since Ramadan is the Month of blessing & forgiveness, we are pleased to launch this initiative on the first day of this blessed month to attain several goals; top of which are to enhance health & activity of members in society and to support charitable works, which are provided to all classes in society through Al-Jalila Foundation”.

H.E. Ahmed Darweesh Al-Muhairi remarked: “The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department adheres to support medical researches through Al Jalila Charitable Foundation, the branch of giving for the Dubai Academic Health Corporation. It is according to this initiative; we will pay an amount of Dhs one million versus steps walked by participants to support Al-Jalila Foundation. In this regard, we will pay Dhs 10 versus each 1000 steps of each individual. Our target is to reach one billion steps”.   

He added: “We were keen to choose two vital areas, Al Khawaneej and Kite Beach, which comprise residential areas inhabited by huge numbers of Emirati families and visited by several expatriates who reside in the country. The steps will be counted through the Steppi Application which is provided to each participant to calculate his steps accurately. We are confident that we will reach our goal of collecting these huge numbers of steps, which are equivalent to Dhs one million to support Al Jalila Foundation”.

Dr. Aamer Al-Zarouni mentioned: “We thank DSC & the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Dept. for launching this charitable sports & community initiative which supports medical researches of cancer & other chronic diseases. The initiative links between charitable works and sports activities”.

Ms. Kholoud Salim thanked DSC & the Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities Dept. for launching the initiative, and she expressed pleasure as the UAE Sports for All Federation has become part of the initiative, confirming that the Federation will contribute to spread this charitable sports initiative throughout the UAE via inviting all members in society to participate in the event. She referred: “We all work together to support efforts & diligences to popularize the exercise of sport & charitable work”.  

The Step for Life initiative is a charitable and sports awareness initiative aiming to spread the culture of charitable work by encouraging all classes of society to practice walking, and then to donate their steps in favor of charitable goals. In this respect, individuals register and participate in the initiative, through the Steppi application to count their steps. The Islamic Affairs & Charitable Activities will then donate Dhs 10 to Al Jalila Foundation for every 1000 steps walked by the participant, as part of the initiative.

Two accompanying events will be organized in several different districts, and they will be as a sports platform in which a professional trainer will provide free trainings for public at 05:00 pm (before Iftar) at Al Khawaneej Walk Track in the Quranic Park & Kite Beach. Vehicles of mobile clinics, provided by Al Jalila Foundation, will be available to carry out general check-up for the public, under the umbrella of the initiative, in addition to paramedics in case of emergency.