"Emirates Today," the Dubai Courts and the Dubai Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department have sent their humanitarian initiative {Yak Al Aoun} into its second season as part of a memorandum of understanding aimed at releasing financially strapped and prosecuted citizens of the Emirate of Dubai during Ramadan. And the blessed Eid Al-Fitr, a groundbreaking national community initiative among the newspaper's community initiatives.
During Ramadan, the initiative targets 85 prosecuted citizens whose debts amount to 14 million dirhams. "Emirates Today" received the numbers of the financially distressed citizens after their files were reviewed and approved by the Case Study Committee (Courts of Kindness) in the Dubai Courts.The Director General of Dubai Courts, Tarish Eid Al-Mansoori, said, "In the first season of the initiative {Yak Al Aoun}, which emerged from the initiative "Courts of Goodness", we were eager to distribute amounts to delinquent citizens to open a window of hope for them again", explaining that "the debts were paid". Thanks to donations from 12 governmental, private and charitable institutions and 18 donations from community members, 107 citizens were detained and prosecuted. In the second season, we are trying to collect 14 million dirhams to release 85 prisoners or prosecute defaulting citizens."
He stressed that the initiative aims to develop the spirit of social solidarity, strengthen the bonds of cooperation between members of society, provide social assistance, bridge the gap between members of society in terms of their lives, and achieve a decent life for all members of society, and continued: "With this initiative, we are able to work at a high level to implement common strategic goals, build a collaborative partnership aimed at serving, promoting and realizing the interests of the community, and work on charitable works that serve the community and help it overcome obstacles that affect its family and social stability.
He pointed out that the initiative aims to reduce the burdens of life for the performing parties, reduce the burden of debtors and bankruptcies and reunite separated families. He stressed that the files are processed and reviewed in several steps in strict confidence according to the conditions set by the supporting body.
Director General of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai, Dr. Hamad Al Sheikh Ahmed Al Shaibani, said that {Yak Al Aoun} is a new door of hope to return the defaulting debtors to a normal life. It is a humanitarian initiative that aims to free the financially distressed prisoners from the citizens who have financial problems and govern them in the Emirate of Dubai by motivating the private sector and businessmen to adopt this initiative and provide the necessary support to the targeted and most needy group in cooperation with the courts of Dubai and Emirates Today.
Al Shaibani pointed out that {Yak Al Aoun} opens the door to hope for the people covered by the initiative to restore their normal lives, avoid past mistakes, alleviate their suffering and relieve their families, as well as strengthen the bonds of cooperation between community members and consolidate the value of solidarity.
He continued, "Their Highnesses the Sheikhs are the first to do good, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, was ahead of everyone when he invested in the lives of prisoners by freeing a group who were memorizing the Holy Quran in prison.
Al-Shaibani stressed the need to leverage the past experience of philanthropists from the business community and community members working with the initiative to liberate the largest number of citizens possible who have fallen into financial hardship.
The Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai strives to reaffirm its prominent social role in charitable and humanitarian work at the state level, in line with well-established policies followed by the leadership. Conjure joy on the faces of the financially disadvantaged and put a smile on the faces of their families, especially during the days of the holy month of Ramadan.
Emirates Today Editor-in-Chief Sami Al-Riyami said, "The initiative comes within the framework of the social initiatives the newspaper has been carrying out for years, which have enjoyed great success year after year."
He explained that the {Yak Al Aoun} initiative targets financially needy citizens in Dubai and has achieved great success in its first year. Thanks to donations from 12 governmental, private and charitable institutions and 18 donations from members of the community, the debts of 107 citizens, prisoners and law enforcement officers were settled with an amount of 21 million, 416 thousand and 610 dirhams, respectively.
Al Riyami added: "The success of the initiative has led us to adopt it for the second consecutive year." He pointed out that the Ramadan Initiative, through cooperation with the Dubai Courts, represented by the Committee (Courts of Good), aims to support 85 citizens of prisoners and prosecutions amounting to 14 million dirhams, and expressed confidence. Donors have responded to the initiative to make it a success.
He called on institutions and individuals to activate the humanitarian and social role more, especially during the month of Ramadan, which represents national cohesion and solidarity in support of community initiatives that provide leadership in humanitarian charity work.