SCI spends AED60.4mn on charitable, devp projects across globe

SHARJAH / WAM

In the first half of 2016, Sharjah Charity International (SCI) spent AED60.4 million in humanitarian, charitable, developmental and services projects for the benefit of poor people in a number of countries across the world.
A report on SCI’s foreign aid said that these humanitarian initiatives were carried out as part of the UAE’s policy to support underprivileged people around the world.
Mohammed Hamdan Al Zari, Head of Projects, said, ”We are striving to reach out to needy people without distinction to race or colour.”
From January to June 2016, he said, the SCI built 750 mosques in a number of African and Asian countries at a total budget of AED38 million. More than 50 percent of these worshipping houses (406) were built in India followed by Burkina Faso at 117.
With an allocation of AED11.3 million, the society drilled 5,171 wells for drinking water and built distribution networks in China, Indonesia, Bangladesh, and Tanzania, in addition to Tajikistan, Sri Lanka, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. Similar projects were conducted in Mozambique, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Ghana.
To help poor countries spread knowledge and education, the report indicated that the SCI spent AED2.6 million on building 76 classes and over AED1 million for constructing six schools: two each in Senegal and Bangladesh, one each in Egypt and India.
”Some AED2.15 million were earmarked for building four centres for Islamic studies in Bangladesh, Indonesia and Niger, and AED2 million for establishing 133 shelters for poor people in a number of countries,” the report added.
The SCI also implemented Ramadan food assistance programmes at a total value of AED1.8 million in 64 countries.