The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, DEWA, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE Water Aid Foundation, Suqia, and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Establishment, MBRHC, to implement joint humanitarian initiatives outside the UAE, as part of DEWA’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) to support the Year of Giving 2017 and align its social and voluntary activities with the main goals of the Year of Zayed initiative in 2018.

The MoU was signed by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Suqia, and Khalid Ali bin Zayed Al Falasi, Member of the Board of Trustees of MBRHC, in the presence of Saleh Zaher Al Mazrui, General Manager of MBRHC.

The MoU aims to enhance the co-operation between the three parties in the field of volunteering, to help developing countries and focus their work during the Year of Giving on the three main issues of establishing responsibility in the public and private sectors to play their role in serving the country and contribute to its development process, promoting the spirit and culture of volunteering among the various segments of society, and serving the nation and society in all aspects.

"Signing the agreement is part of our efforts to support the Year of Giving, launched by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and under the directives of Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to develop a comprehensive framework for the Year of Giving while considering the emergence of a qualitative and sustainable partnership between the private and the public sectors. Furthermore, this action supports the promotion of volunteer work among all segments of society at all levels, whether local, regional or global," Al Tayer said.

"We are following the approach of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who established the principles of humanitarian work in the UAE. The values of giving and charity have become the main principles of the UAE's mission to lend its helping hand in many parts of the world. Through the MoU, we will work to spread joint voluntary programmes and encourage DEWA’s staff to join and contribute to the implementation of CSR work, both inside and outside the country," Al Tayer added.

"The MoU has already been put into action by launching ‘Risalat Khair,’ a co-operation agreement between the three parties to help poor families in the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, through the establishment of various sustainable projects to ensure a stable income and a decent life, to support the region’s social and economic development. As His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid once observed, ‘Giving is not only about donations or charity, but real giving is making a difference, the difference in a man's life, society or the progress of a country. This is the giving I learnt from the late Sheikh Zayed.’ The programme will run from 10th to 16th August this year, with the participation of 15 DEWA volunteers, each working 10 voluntary hours per day," Al Tayer further added.

"The programme also includes several charitable initiatives, including the ‘Al Khair Truck initiative’ to support underprivileged families by providing them with trucks so they can earn a steady income, the ‘Al Khair Hives’ initiative to help proactive families to produce natural honey which is a profitable trade in Tajikistan, the ‘Al Khair Workshop’ at the Arts Education Centre to provide sewing machines for widows and orphans, and an initiative to purchase school bags to help students in need. The charitable programme also includes the establishment of a medical clinic and a school, as well as implementing Suqia’s projects in Tajikistan to dig wells and provide local people with clean water," Al Tayer explained.

"We have signed the MoU with DEWA and Suqia to serve as a vivid example of fruitful co-operation between state institutions, to implement community projects that benefit the country and people," Al Falasi stated.