Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi joins UAE Compassion Campaign

Abu Dhabi, February : Al Wahda Mall Abu Dhabi in association with Emirates Red Crescent has launched a charity initiative to collect donations to help thousands of refugees in the Levant struggling with the severe winter. All proceeds from the mall-wide campaign, which will run until February 15, will be handed over to Emirates Red Crescent and go towards the UAE Compassion Campaign (Tarahamo in Arabic).

Residents in Abu Dhabi can do their bit to alleviate the suffering of millions of refugees by visiting Al Wahda Mall and donating funds. Donation boxes have been placed across the mall to collect funds. There is also a comment board placed in the atrium area where visitors can reach out to those suffering in Levant by leaving messages for them.

The UAE Compassion Campaign was launched earlier in January under the directives of President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan with the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The campaign covers refugee camps in Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. According to reports, donations were expected to reach Dh200 million in January. The initiative provides relief for refugees that have been affected by ‘Huda,’ the snowstorm that hit the region earlier.

The UNHCR said it was impressed by the quick response from the UAE when the campaign began earlier, as people responded to calls from the President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa to help Syrian refugees. According to reports, the Compassion Campaign has raised more than Dh208 million in financial donations and hundreds of tonnes of material assistance worth Dh20 million.

Teams from the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) are continuing efforts to distribute aid to families among Syrian refugees and to those affected by the winter storms that swept the Levant and Iraq, as part of the organisation's ongoing winter campaign.

Al Wahda Mall is also conducting a raffle draw titled Winter Supercharged for shoppers who spend Dh500 or more. The grand prize is a Jaguar F-type Convertible. Shoppers who buy goods worth Dh500 from outlets will be given a coupon to take part in games such as Snakes & Ladders and puzzles. If they win the game, they will then be given two tickets to enter the raffle draw for the car.