ABU DHABI // The UAE has sent more than 230 tonnes of relief aid and millions of dirhams in donations to earthquake-stricken Nepal.
The materials include blankets, tents, household items and food. Another shipment is expected to be sent this week.
Since the killer quake on April 25, the Nepalese embassy in the UAE has mobilised and generated tonnes of relief aid from around the country.
While the exact amount of UAE donations is not known as many donors have pledged funds through private channels, the embassy has recorded more than Dh1.98 million in transfers so far.
This includes a Dh720,946 donation from M A Yousef Ali, chairman of the M K group, and Dh360,473 from Sudhir Kumar Shetty, UAE Exchange chief operations officer.
Sheikha Fatima bint Mukarak pledged Dh5 million on April 26.
Other donations not recorded by the embassy include Dh210,000 from the Indian Business Council to the UAE Red Crescent, and Dh160,000 by the Sharjah Indian Association.
“This a testing time for Nepalese as most parts of the country have badly been devastated by the killer earthquake,” said Dhananjay Jha, Nepalese ambassador to the UAE. “The embassy has record of more than 5.5 crore Nepalese rupees (Dh1.98 million), which were transferred so far, and the generous works are continuing. But the total could run in the millions of dirhams.”
In addition to cash donations, others have given material supplies.
The India Social and Cultural Centre donated 10 tonnes of supplies, and the embassy in Abu Dhabi collected and sent 17 lorries of aid to the Red Crescent. The consulate in Dubai sent six lorries of supplies.
All relief material is being transported to the Nepali capital, Kathmandu, by the Red Crescent.
Mr Jha thanked the communities and the UAE government for their “generous and outstanding support”.
He urged the UAE to participate in the country’s reconstruction process more generously as most parts of Nepal were damaged by the quake, which has killed at least 8,500 people.
India Social and Cultural Centre president Ramesh Panicker said collections have been undertaken around the local Indian community and delivered to the embassy.
He said that many Indians have been going to markets and shops specifically to buy supplies for Nepal.
Krishna Bhusal, president of the Non-Resident Nepalese Association in Abu Dhabi, speculated that about 170 tonnes of aid had been sent from the emirate, and about 100 tonnes was transferred from Dubai and the Northern Emirates.
“We have publicised about aid through social media sites, TV, radio and newspapers, and in all communities people responded generously.”
For those who want to donate, they are requested to make a deposit in the name of the prime minister disaster relief fund. Accounts details are at www.nepalembassyuae.org.
anwar@thenational.ae
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
