Sharjah: Kalimat Foundation, a non-profit organization focused on providing books and knowledge resources to underserved children, refugees, and children with visual impairments, has initiated a UAE school campaign. The campaign aims to engage private school students in supporting reading and humanitarian efforts, with its first activation taking place at Emirates National Schools (ENS), Sharjah Campus.
According to Emirates News Agency, the initial activation involved ENS students organizing a charity bazaar, which successfully raised over AED40,000 for Kalimat Foundation's 'Pledge a Library' initiative. This initiative focuses on providing curated Arabic libraries to children and communities with limited access to books. The event was attended by Fudail Al Ahmad, Cluster Manager - Northern Emirates at ENS, along with teaching and administrative staff.
ENS plans to continue supporting Kalimat Foundation's mission by implementing initiatives across its campuses in the UAE. These efforts aim to expand children's access to knowledge while encouraging student participation in community and humanitarian activities. The campaign underscores Kalimat Foundation's belief that schools are spaces where students can develop a sense of responsibility toward others.
The first school engagement exemplifies the potential achievements of schools when students are given opportunities to partake in meaningful humanitarian actions. Activities that start as school projects can transform into libraries for children with limited access to books, offering them a broader space to learn and explore the world.
Amna Al Mazmi, Director of Kalimat Foundation, remarked, "What ENS and its students have done reflects the spirit of this campaign. The students organized an initiative that teaches them that giving is a responsible and intentional act, with an impact that can reach children they may never meet. We value ENS' support and partnership in fostering a culture of giving and philanthropy among school students in the UAE."
She further stated, "Kalimat Foundation believes access to books is a basic right for every child, regardless of geography, economic hardship, or displacement. There are children who have never owned a book, entered a library, or had access to knowledge resources in their mother tongue."
Ahmad Al Bastaki, Deputy Director-General of ENS, expressed, "At ENS, our role extends beyond academic education to building students' character and strengthening their values of giving and social responsibility. We are committed to engaging our students in initiatives that allow them to learn through action and understand their community impact."
He added, "Kalimat Foundation's initiative gave our students an opportunity to connect with a humanitarian and cultural cause linked to reading and knowledge. We are proud of their enthusiasm and teamwork during the charity bazaar and their ability to turn participation into meaningful support for other children."
Through this campaign, Kalimat Foundation aims to expand partnerships with private schools across Sharjah and the UAE, encouraging educational institutions to support reading and connect students with humanitarian work. The Foundation seeks to increase the presence of Arabic books in children's lives and provide sustainable knowledge resources that support learning and strengthen cultural connections.
Kalimat Foundation praised ENS's contributions, including leadership, teaching staff, and students, affirming that school partnerships are crucial in making reading accessible and instilling a culture of giving from an early age.
Since its inception, the 'Pledge a Library' initiative has distributed over 200 portable libraries, benefiting more than 100,000 children across 27 countries. Each library includes 100 Arabic books for different age groups, providing sustainable resources for schools, centers, and communities needing better access to reading materials.
Through this initiative, Kalimat Foundation continues to expand access to Arabic books for children in underserved communities, employing a practical model that encourages individuals, institutions, and schools to sponsor complete libraries, thereby sustaining and enhancing its impact in beneficiary communities.