United Parcel Service UAE partnered with Safa School on their Hands-to-Hearts project.

The programme aimed to offer sustainable support to local schools in Knysna, South Africa.

Initiated in 2004, the Hands-to-Hearts project was set up to support and create a long term relationship with schools which strive to provide a safe and secure learning environment for children who are homeless and orphaned, giving them hope for the future.

Sinethemba, meaning 'we have hope' in Swahili, is one of the schools in Knysna that was established to address the growing concerns relating to the future of children, particularly the homeless children in Knysna.

Aimed at supporting Sinethemba's cause, students and teachers from Safa School worked together to collate toys, books and teaching aid supplies which UPS then shipped to Knysna.

'We are grateful to UPS who have been very supportive of our Hands-to-Hearts project. Their team has generously donated their time and services to deliver our boxes of love and hope to Sinetemba,' said headmistress for Safa School Jane Knight.

'When we heard of the Hand-to-Hearts project and the worthy cause it supported, we wanted to be a part of this community outreach. The teachers and students have been doing an admirable job in offering the basic needs to the children in Africa and providing them with tools that will support their educational needs,' said country manager, UPC, UAE, John Tansey.

In UAE, UPS's work with Safa Schools underscores both its ongoing corporate social responsibility initiatives, such as the company's annual Global Volunteer Week, as well as the strategic logistics links between the UAE and Africa.

Currently UPS has more than 16 aircraft that fly in and through the Dubai air hub from Europe (Cologne, Germany) and Asia (Hong Kong, China, Philippines) every week, carrying goods and packages assigned for delivery in the Middle Eastern, African, European and Asian markets.Trade Arabia News Service