The charitable campaign aims to raise AED 5 million

Abu Dhabi, 17 August, 2010: Celebrating the spirit of giving of the Holy Month of Ramadan, Zakat Fund and Abu Dhabi University Foundation have joined hands to launch a fundraising campaign to support the needy students at Abu Dhabi University (ADU) to help them pursue their education.

The campaign aims to raise AED 5 million that will be disbursed as educational fees and charges for the needy students at the university. This joint effort is a valuable outcome of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed early this year by HE Abdallah Aqeeda Al Muhairi, Secretary General of Zakat Fund, and HE Ali Saeed Bin Harmal Al Dhaheri, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of ADU.

“Zakat Fund shares the same vision with Abu Dhabi University in giving a chance to less fortunate students to pursue their higher learning and studies,” said Al Muhairi. “With the spirit of generosity and giving that we enjoy during Ramadan, we feel it is the perfect time to help more needy students realizing their dreams.”

Feeling responsible to support brilliant students whose financial conditions prevented them from continuing their studies, Al Muhairi pointed out that “Forgetting to aid those students we will lose excellent minds that would help shape the future of our their country.” The campaign is not limited to Emiratis, but it also covers other nationalities who should meet the necessary requirements, he added.

On his part, Al Dhaheri also believed in providing a better future for the next generation. He said “Abu Dhabi University aims to nurture the talents of students and motivate them to strive hard and achieve their goals without being hampered by financial difficulties. Our strategic partnership with Zakat Fund is one way of expanding the education horizon of top students by offering them with alternative financial aid programs.”

Beneficiaries of the fundraising campaign will include the students of AUD who are proved to deserve the financial aid due to their difficult circumstances, regardless of their nationality or gender.

Zakat Fund was found by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan aiming to raise awareness about Zakat as one of the five pillars of Islam. Zakat is a charitable levy on all Muslims and earmarked to help the poor and the disadvantaged. Zakat Fund’s main objective is to consolidate its effectiveness and significance in social and individual development.

Abu Dhabi University Foundation aims to build strategic partnerships between the ADU and various government and private institutions, as well as individuals. Its objective is to provide financial grants, including financing of projects and applied research of the university.

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About Zakat Fund:

Zakat Fund is an independent federal authority that was established in Abu Dhabi by the federal law No. (4/2003). Its main objective is to enhance Muslims’ awareness about the obligation of Zakat in Islam, and to consolidate its effect and significant role in social and individual development. Zakat Fund makes it the top priority to create a society of solidarity and human compassion through participating in many charitable activities targeting the poor and the needy. The Fund receives, develops and distributes Zakat money of the UAE national and resident Muslims in its legitimate channels specified by Islamic Shari’ah.

Resources of Zakat Fund include the Zakat money which Muslims desire to pay through the Fund or the money referred to the Fund by other charitable associations and authorities. Zakat resources also come from contributions, donations and aids delivered to the Fund by other entities provided that it does not conflict with the Fund’s objectives and that are accepted by the Board of Directors. Resources also include a portion of the UAE general budget that is specifically allocated for the Zakat Fund’s administrative expenses. Two committees have been assigned by the Fund’s Secretariat. The first is a legal committee that provides legal opinions with regard to the rulings of Zakat in Islamic Shari’ah, and the distribution committee which prepares policies of Zakat money disbursement in its legal channels specified by Shari’ah or determined by Zakat payers.

Zakat Fund provides a number of electronic programs to help Zakat payers, whether individuals or organizations, inquire, calculate and pay their Zakat through the Fund’s website and cell phones. Zakat Fund launched a series of charitable projects including: Poor & Needy project, Read project, Reward & Health project, Debtors project, Prisoners’ Families project, Mawadah project, Cooperation project with social and charitable associations, and the latest project of University Students.

For further inquires about Zakat Fund, please visit our website: www.zakatfund.ae

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