"Free educational supplies for underprivileged students": UAE volunteers prepare 10,000 school packs
Volunteer Emirates - Back to School 2025: 450+ Volunteers Pack 10,000 School Kits for UAE Students
In a heartwarming display of community spirit, over 450 volunteers, including 80 Aldar employees, gathered at Nabdh Alfalah in Abu Dhabi on August 15, 2025, to assemble and pack 10,000 school kits for students from low-income families across the UAE.
This year's Volunteer Emirates - Back to School initiative, organised by Dubai Cares in partnership with Aldar, saw a significant expansion with nine partner schools and charitable organizations spanning all seven emirates. The beneficiaries included charity-run and private schools, as well as government schools serving low-income families.
A unique feature of this edition was the customization of the backpacks, with bags being gender-tailored with purple and white backpacks for girls and green and black for boys. Shalin Kaladharan, who is managing the packaging team, said the color-coded bags added an extra "happy factor" this year. Shihab, one of Shahin's sons, expressed joy in contributing to the initiative.
The school kits, which will reach students through partners including Al Ihsan Charity Association, Al Etihad Charity Foundation, National Charity School, Hemaya School, The School of Tolerance, Al Tafawq Private School, Al Dhaid Private School, and Umm Al Qura Private School, will contain sketchbooks, notebooks, pens, pencils, erasers, scales, and coloured pencils.
Ahmad Shahin, assistant Vice President in Aldar's strategic sourcing team, brought his sons, aged 8 and 12, to participate in the event. This was Shahin's first time volunteering. By mid-morning, volunteers had packed 3,500 of the 10,000 school kits, with the bags being loaded directly onto trucks for delivery.
This initiative is part of the ongoing partnership between Aldar and Dubai Cares under the Volunteer Emirates programme, aligned with the UAE's 2025 Year of Community declaration, to support inclusive education and community empowerment.
"Education touches everyone," Al Shehhi said, explaining why the initiative is popular. The Volunteer Emirates - Back to School initiative has been running for more than a decade.
| Aspect | Details | |-----------------------------|-------------------------------------------------| | Number of kits packed | 10,000 school kits | | Number of volunteers | 450+ volunteers (including 80 Aldar employees) | | Location of packing event | Nabdh Alfalah, Abu Dhabi | | Customization of backpacks | Gender-specific colors: Purple/white for girls; Green/black for boys | | Distribution recipients | Students from low-income families in 9 partner schools/charities across all 7 emirates | | Organizers and partners | Dubai Cares and Aldar Properties |
The program also included Aldar’s sponsorship of school refurbishment projects to improve learning environments. This year, the initiative has expanded from seven to nine partners. No specific details about the exact contents of the kits beyond the customized backpacks were provided in the available sources.
- The Volunteer Emirates - Back to School initiative, organized by Dubai Cares and Aldar, not only offers entertainment through a heartwarming display of community spirit but also contributes to education and self-development by providing school kits to students from low-income families.
- Beyond school kits, the Volunteer Emirates program, a part of the ongoing partnership between Aldar and Dubai Cares, also caters to general news by sponsoring school refurbishment projects, aiming to improve learning environments.
- Lifestyle magazines might find interest in the fact that this year's Volunteer Emirates - Back to School initiative saw a unique customization of school kits, with gender-tailored backpacks in colors like purple and white for girls, and green and black for boys.
