‘Family Village' for orphans hosts iftar for benefactors

UAE, June 12, 2016 - The Family Village, an Orphanage Project in Dubai by the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (AMAF), recently organized an Iftar event for all its donors to express its gratitude for the significant donations they have made for helping build a secure home for orphans. An initiative by H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the project aims to provide a real home with a psychologically secured family environment for underprivileged children. The AMAF is the first approved beneficiary of endowments that is mandated to oversee the care of minors and orphans in Dubai.

During the event, H.E. Salem Ahmad Almoosa, Founder, Chairman & CEO of Salem Ahmad Almoosa Enterprises, was honoured by the AMAF for his contributions in making the Family Village a reality. The esteemed businessman donated a total of AED 3 million for the construction of a residential building within the Village, which has been named after his family. The Family Village comprises of 16 villas that can accommodate up to 8 children in each villa--making each house as a bonded family unit with siblings and fulltime ‘mothers and fathers’ to provide them with love and care along with health and nutrition. In addition, a grandmother oversees the daily functioning of the village along with aunties and uncles as helpers.

H.E. Almoosa said: “The Family Village is a philanthropic project that has a noble objective of providing a safe and secure homely environment to orphaned children so that they grow up to become contributing members of the society. Our contribution comes from our social and humanitarian values guided by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who always taught us to support and care for orphans and respond to the needy in our community. I urge other philanthropists and business communities as well as all segments of the society to make donations for such approved charitable projects.”

A project that addresses the needs of underprivileged minors and provides them with educational, health, food and primary care, the Family Village is located in Dubai and is equipped with the latest educational aids and medical services. Each villa in the Village contains sections for young people according to different age groups along with a section for infants up to 3 years under a supervised medical team from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA). Moreover, it also has a fully equipped nursery for children up to 3 years of age, a kindergarten, and a medical facility run by a resident nurse and a team of administrative officials.