Today's Edition
KHALED AL KHAWALDEH (ABU DHABI)
The Authority of Social Contribution - Ma'an, the Abu Dhabi Government's official channel to receive social contributions, on Wednesday revealed that over Dh98.6 million of community contributions was allocated in 2024 marking a landmark year for the organisation.
It was one of several numbers released as part of the unveiling of the annual community contribution report which Abdullah Al Ameri, Director General of Ma'an, told Aletihad was crucial to maintaining the organisation's key tenant of transparency.
"We are intended as the Authority of Social Contribution to be the bridge and the connector between the donors, individuals or private sector companies," he said.
"We help allocate towards the social causes in Abu Dhabi and we're trying to raise the awareness and the culture of giving, and to invite more corporates to collaborate."
Ma'an said its 51 projects supported more than 23,498 individuals across Abu Dhabi in 2024. The beneficiaries came from various demographics and received support for different issues ranging from health to student help.
Of the total, the health sector received Dh36.8 million for nine projects focused on social healthcare services, while Dh33.6 million was directed towards 26 social sector projects aimed at empowering community members in Abu Dhabi.
The education sector was allocated Dh20 million across eight projects to enhance learning opportunities. Additionally, the allocation of Dh8.2 million funded eight projects in the environment and infrastructure sectors, promoting sustainability and infrastructure development.
Some of the key social projects included the facilitation of emergency housing for distressed families, supporting the wellbeing of inmates in prisons with support and training, and several initiatives to support the integration of people of determination into society.
In the health sector, over Dh2 million was allocated for supporting those with Multiple Sclerosis. Funding was also made available for lower-income families for health insurance and those grieving from recent losses of loved ones and struggling with death-related transactions.
In the education sector, over Dh6.5 million was provided for the rehabilitation of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Bangladesh Islamia School and the Pakistani Community Welfare School to ensure a safe learning environment. Over Dh7 million was provided to low-income families struggling with their tuition fees.
Furthermore, over Dh4 million was allocated to establish community parks across Liwa in an effort to improve the environment. Other initiatives that received substantial funding include mangrove and tree planting, mural painting, and playground renovation.
"We released this report to have full transparency regarding how we redirect the contributions towards social projects," Al Ameri said.
"We want to invite more corporates to collaborate with the social contribution authority and use the methodologies that we have, redirecting the contributions and the CSR of their companies towards social causes."
Currently, Ma'an offers several incentives for businesses looking to contribute, including tax offsets, better access to in-country procurement, and recognition within the UAE. Al Ameri said this will allow the base of contributors and the reach of the projects to continue to grow.
