Former US President Bill Clinton has launched the Varkey Gems Foundation, a not for profit charitable initiative, aimed at impacting the lives of 10 million children globally.

The foundation is part of Gems Education, a Dubai-based company and the largest kindergarten to grade 12 private education operator in the world.

“A quality education is the key to solving our most pressing global challenges. Education opens a whole new world of opportunities and choices for millions of underprivileged children. The benefits from an educated child will affect not only the child itself, but his or her family and the wider community,” said President Clinton at the Dubai American Academy, a Gems school.

“The Varkey Gems Foundation will provide thousands of scholarships and assistance to the most gifted, yet underprivileged children around the world and a number of those will be identified in the Middle East,” added chairman of Gems Education Sunny Varkey.

Chief executive of the Varkey Gems Foundation, Vikas Pota, stated that the foundation will focus on four key areas; scholarships for underprivileged children, teacher training, professional development and mentoring for school leaders and providing policy input through its strategic partnerships.

Gems Education already works in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative, the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, Dubai Cares and Pratham.-TradeArabia News Service