Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) has donated school supplies to help thousands of Syrian refugee children at the UAE-Jordan, Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp in Jordan pursue their studies.

A senior delegation visited the camp to present the donation, headed by Khaled Al Mehairbi, Etihad Airways senior vice president of Abu Dhabi Hub and attended by Hamad Al Shamsi, EAG Board Member.

The donation to Emirates Red Crescent, comprising more than 2,500 school bags and stationery sets, will benefit children between 5 and 12 years old, some of whom are starting school for the first time this year. Etihad Aviation Group made the donation through a series of fundraisers and volunteer events in Abu Dhabi, including its sixth Annual Ramadan Charity Football Tournament.

Al Mehairbi, who also serves as chairman of the Etihad Airways Sports and Social Committee, said: “As the UAE’s national airline, we are committed to giving back to those in need. In the spirit of the Year of Giving, this donation represents the care and generosity of our dedicated staff volunteers, as well as the wider community in Abu Dhabi who participated in our initiatives to support global education.

“We are extremely proud to play a part in helping these students pursue their studies and hope that our visit will help raise awareness of the importance of children’s education. Our thanks go to all parties who supported this donation including Emirates Red Crescent, the UAE Embassy in Jordan, and the Etihad Airways team in Jordan,” Al Mehairbi concluded.

The visit also included Amina Taher, vice president corporate affairs for Etihad Aviation Group, as well as the airline’s Captain Salah Alfarajalla, senior vice president security and National Pilot Development and Ali Al Shamsi, vice president Global Airports. Dr Khawla Al Saadi, chairwoman of the Emirates Autism Society, who has partnered with the group on several charity initiatives in the past, also attended in support of the campaign.

As well as much needed school supplies, children were also given activity packs, blankets and clothes. To celebrate the donation, Etihad Airways staff based in Amman organised a fun-filled day for children at the camp, including a magic show, football game and presentation on healthy living, as well as a birthday party and gifts for 75 Syrian refugee children born in September.

This latest initiative is part of a global education campaign of the airline’s Sports and Social Committee. Since its launch in 2012, the campaign has benefited more than 100,000 students around the world to continue their education. - TradeArabia News Service