Nearly 1,000 businesses and retail outlets have pledged support to the “Dubai Cares Girls’ Education Campaign 2011”, an initiative which will run through Ramadan.

The campaign which aims to provide girls in developing countries with access to quality primary education is receiving support from leading organisations across the banking, telecommunications and information technology, hospitality, retail and media sectors, a statement said.

Sadia, one of the world's leading producers of chilled and frozen foods, is promoting the campaign by placing the Dubai Cares logo and messages on girls’ education on all its products.

Emaar Retail, an entertainment and retail subsidiary, is hosting a summer-long campaign which will run across all its leisure attractions in the Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina Mall throughout Ramadan and conclude after Eid Al Adha.

At the Dubai Mall, Dubai Cares invites mall visitors to help build a mock classroom that will remain on display throughout Ramadan.

For Dh50 ($14), visitors can purchase book-shaped bricks that will be used to build the classroom – the funds raised will go towards girls’ education programs. The goal is to complete the classroom, which requires 2000 book bricks, by the end of Ramadan. 

Organisations partnering with Dubai Cares in support of its campaign include Al Aqili Furnishings, Amwaj Rotana, Arabian Radio Network (ARN), Aswaaq, Axiom Telecom, The Body Shop, Chalhoub Group, Devji Aurum, du, Dubai Investments, Emaar Retail, Emarat, Emirates NBD, Etisalat, Hilton Hotel, HSBC Bank, Jacky's Electronics, Jumeirah Rotana, Kitkat, Landmark Group, Lulu Hypermarket, Al Manama Group, Marriot Business Councils, Mashreq Bank, M.H. Alshaya Co., Al Maya Group, NESTLE NIDO Fortified Full Cream Milk Powder, NStyle Nail Lounge, OMD, Paris Gallery, Pitter Patter, The Ritz Carlton, Rose Rayhaan by Rotana, Sadia, Spinneys, Al Tayer Group, Waitrose and Zawya. – TradeArabia News Service