Emirates Airlines’ marks World Children's Day

Emirates Airline Foundation share hopes for improving the welfare of disadvantaged children around the world.  Image:  Emirates Airlines Foundation

Sir Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline and chairman of the Emirates Airline Foundation said: "In the 18 years since its establishment, the Foundation has been helping to channel the generous donations of our passengers and employees towards projects focussed on improving the welfare of children in need.

"The Foundation currently supports 19 projects in 12 countries around the world, and we would love to do more. Children are our world's collective hope for the future, and they deserve every dignity and opportunity."

Some of the organisations and projects supported by the Foundation include: the Virlanie Foundation in the Philippines which helps provide housing and protection for 42 marginalised children; the Little Prince Nursery and School in Kenya which provides nursery and primary education for over 400 underprivileged children from the Kibera slums; and the Italian NGO Emergenza Sorrisi which sent medical volunteers to perform life changing plastic surgeries for over 100 children last year. In South Africa, Singakwenza, which works to build sustainable early childhood programmes in economically disadvantaged communities, trained over 1,400 parents, caregivers and educators last year; and in India, IMMPACT provides education through community-based learning centers to 3,000 girls each year who come from underprivileged families mostly in rural areas that have little or no access to schools.