News: Dubai Raises US$1 billion During a Public Fund Raiser

"Dubai Cares", a public fund raising rally collected close to $500 million USD from the public in just eight weeks. Dubai's ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum matched that an equal donation. That makes close to $1 billion USD.
Based on a long-term strategy of investing in community-based, education programmes, "Dubai Cares" will use the donations to build and renovate schools, train teachers, promote gender equality in education, provide teaching materials, offer scholarships, organize school feeding programmes and establish annual medical check- ups for students in some of the poorest countries in the world.
“I now ask the United Nations to follow Dubai's model of charity work. We are leading the march for human welfare,” said Sheikh Mohammed, who had launched the fundraising drive on September 19 with the aim of helping the United Nations reach its goal of providing primary education to every child by 2015. (full article)

Picture courtesy 7days. Thanks to E. for the link
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