Sharjah, United Arab Emirates – 09 October 2016 – Musafir.com the GCC’s first online travel website, and Noor Dubai Foundation today announced a joint campaign to help raise funds to combat preventable blindness and help children and adults affected by Trachoma in Ethiopia.
The initiative – the first of its kind for Musafir.com– aims to raise awareness of Trachoma, a preventable infection caused by the lack of basic hygiene, clean water and adequate sanitation. The funds raised will assist Noor Dubai Foundation in facilitating their ‘Trachoma program’ under which a comprehensive treatment package is provided to combat the disease.
“We are delighted to be embarking on this journey of fulfilling the global Vision 2020 and are honored to be working with a highly esteemed partner such as Noor Dubai Foundation,” said Sheikh Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Thani, Chairman of the Department of Statistics and Community Development and a member of the Sharjah Executive Council, Chairman and Co-founder of Musafir.com. “We believe it is vital to give back something to the less privileged and Musafir.com’s efforts will go a long way to help treat patients in Ethiopia with trachoma. We will continue to work closely with Noor Dubai going forward and will help in their cause of introducing innovative ways to help cure the disease.”
Noor Dubai Foundation, a UAE based charity, focuses on preventing blindness and visual impairment and is dedicated in extending its care globally. Launched in 2008 by the Vice president and Prime minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, over 24 million individuals from Africa and Asia have benefited from the treatment and programs conjured by the foundation. Through their outreach programs in Africa and Asia, Noor Dubai Foundation has screened 234,525 individuals and provided 23, 621 surgeries to date.
Dr. Manal Omran Taryam, Board Member and CEO of Noor Dubai Foundation, stressed on the importance of sustaining the Foundation’s programs through strategic partnerships with corporate bodies in the UAE and abroad.
She said; “funding prevention of blindness programs and campaigns is a great initiative and we would like to thank Musafir.com for their support. Our program assists people in rural areas and villages in Ethiopia who have little access to ophthalmological care. There are approximately 95 Ophthalmologists in Ethiopia, 60 of them are in the capital, Addis Ababa. Eye care services are extremely limited throughout the country, particularly in rural areas and villages and thus the contribution of all our partners helps us reach out to those in need of our services.”
Dr Taryam added that this project is of significant important and will greatly improve both the social and economic conditions of families who will receive treatment for Trachoma.
Organized by the CSR Committee of Musafir.com and Noor Dubai Foundation team, this campaign is the first in a series of initiatives by Musafir.com in reaching their fundamental objectives of giving back to the community.
