Dubai, United Arab Emirates, June 18, 2015: There’s so much you can do to make your Ramadan extra special this year.  But how about doing a good deed that will last a lifetime?

Maria Cristina Foundation (MCF), which helps educate slum children in Dhaka, Bangladesh as a way to lift them out of the poverty trap, has announced the launching of its Ramadan campaign calling for donations that will help ensure a bright future for the children. Since its founding in 2005, MCF has been tirelessly working to transform children’s lives by empowering them through good education.

Maria Conceicao, founder of MCF, said, “Our main focus is to provide the children with a good education, which will lay a strong foundation for a better future.  We are for long-term, sustainable change, building progress that will benefit as many people in the community as possible. Our work is intended to give the children the opportunity for gainful employment and for them to eventually fully support their own family. Not only can this lift a family out of the poverty cycle, it also has a regenerating effect whereby the family becomes fully independent in providing new generations with an education. Ultimately, by supporting our cause, you are helping us make a permanent change for the better.”

MCF created an online fundraising account to make it easier for donors to send in their contributions. The page www.justgiving.com/maria-cristina is user-friendly and allows the donors to choose how much they want to give.

“For as little as AED 55, you can provide one month food support to a child, and this is important for the student as proper nourishment is key for him or her to learn and perform well in class,” Maria said.

As well as providing educational support to children with great potential, MCF also extends additional charitable assistance to the families of its scholars and even to other members of their community. “These children come from families living in extreme poverty, those with insufficient means of livelihood to meet their basic needs.  Part of our work is to support the welfare of the families to ensure that they are not forced to send the children to work, or forced to marry off their young daughters at an early age.  We also extend assistance in other necessary services such as food, transport, scholarships, living costs etc. We also have a program for adult education. We welcome all levels of donations for us to be able to continue our work,” Maria concluded.

To learn more about Maria Cristina Foundation, visit www.mariacristinafoundation.org or www.facebook.com/MariaCristinaFoundation.