Antigua and Barbuda Foreign Minister Charles Fernandez thanks Dubai for support following Hurricane Irma

The Honorable Charles Fernandez, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Antigua and Barbuda, met with HE Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer at Dubai Cares last week to discuss the latest developments in Antigua and Barbuda following Hurricane Irma. The meeting took place at Dubai Cares headquarters in the presence of Abdulla Ahmed Al Shehhi, Chief Operating Officer and Annina Mattsson, Director of Programs at Dubai Cares.

During the meeting, Mr. Fernandez went over with HE Al Gurg Dubai Cares’ latest program in Antigua and Barbuda.  He also expressed his gratitude and appreciation for UAE’s generous donations and tremendous support in the wake of hurricane Irma.

Dubai Cares’ program in Antigua and Barbuda, titled ‘Renovation of Villa Primary School in Antigua and Barbuda’, is being implemented in partnership with the Extended Arms Foundation and aims to renovate the Villa Primary School Antigua, and improve the physical environment and infrastructure at the school. This program, which benefits 355 school children, meets the government's commitment to providing quality education for the children of Antigua while using the renovated Villa Primary School as a benchmark for future schools in the country.

Following the meeting, HE Tariq Al Gurg said, “Although our program started early this year, our intervention in Antigua and Barbuda comes at a time when support to the education sector in the Caribbean is in dire need of help following the recent devastation brought on by hurricane Irma. Through this program, Dubai Cares aims to improve the learning environment in this country so that there is an improvement in the academic performance of students.”

Dubai Cares program is designed to drive lasting institutional and structural changes, aimed at enhancing the quality of education, reflecting the organization commitment to continuously identify new interventions, particularly where countries are in need of resources, improved infrastructures and provide quality education to support the development of children.

Since its inception, Dubai Cares, part of  Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has been working towards providing children and young people in developing countries with access to quality education through the design and funding of programs that aim to be integrated, impactful, sustainable and scalable. As a result, the UAE-based global philanthropic organization has successfully launched education programs reaching over 16 million beneficiaries in 45 developing countries.