Education is one of the greatest engines for societal development, laying a strong foundation for economic empowerment. To support Pakistan’s initiatives of making education accessible to its children, Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, has donated essential supplies and limited-edition, handcrafted backpacks from its ‘Aircrafted by Emirates’ collection to a non-profit organisation in Pakistan.
Pakistan has made significant reforms in its education system, continuously improving its infrastructure and resources to provide equal opportunities to children across the country. To support their efforts in rolling out access to education for children in rural areas, Emirates assisted the students of SOS Children’s Villages by donating 107 practical, stylish backpacks filled with stationery, books and hygiene supplies. The NGO was selected carefully as it serves local communities by creating a nurturing and inspirational space for financially disadvantaged youths to continue their education. The institute has a longstanding legacy of supporting youth and a particular focus on education. The initiative reinforces the airline’s commitment to ‘connecting communities’ by building enduring relationships and making meaningful differences in the destinations it serves.
Mohammed Al Nahari Alhashmi, Vice President, Pakistan for Emirates said: “We are pleased to collaborate with organizations such as SOS Village that share our commitment to advancing UN Sustainable Development Goal No. 4 to ensure every child has access to quality education and gets a chance to learn, thrive and unlock their full potential. With 17 branches across Pakistan, SOS Children’s Villages has a wide network in the country. They have been carefully selected for their dedicated work in providing abandoned or orphaned children with a safe and stable home where they can pursue their education.
“Donating the Aircrafted KIDS by Emirates bags made with recycled materials and filled with essential stationary, learning and hygiene items will equip children with confidence and tools to make their everyday learning journey easier. We take pride in sharing our upcycled bags as this initiative not only promotes sustainability but also connects children in Pakistan with a piece of our history.”
Saba Faisal, the National Director of SOS Children’s Villages Pakistan, said: “It was a pleasure to host the Emirates team, and we would like to thank them for supporting the educational development of our children, who come from vulnerable backgrounds yet possess immense potential to achieve success and positively contribute to society. We are grateful for companies such as Emirates for their contribution towards the wellbeing of our students and impact them in such a positive way. It was a delight for our children to meet the Emirates team, receive the bags, and create happy memories they will cherish forever.”
To ensure the NGO received exactly what they needed for each and every student, SOS Children’s Villages handpicked the specific bags they required from the ‘Aircrafted by Emirates’ collection, accounting for children of all ages. The backpacks were then handmade by Emirates Engineering in-house, with materials upcycled from the airline’s iconic A380 and B777 aircraft that underwent refurbishments.
In addition to the bags, Emirates provided school and hygiene supplies such as pens, pencils, erasers, calculators, notebooks, sanitizers, soaps, toothpastes and more. The airline also purchased books which blend culturally rich stories with interactive learning opportunities. The books can be swapped and discussed amongst the students, further developing their understanding of the material.
Under the Aircrafted program more than 50,000 kg of materials from 191 aircrafts slated to undergo the airline’s interior cabin retrofit programme are expected to be recovered and repurposed. In addition to the donations made in Pakistan, Emirates provided organisations in Bangladesh and India with bags, bringing the total donation to 700 in Asia alone after donating 1,239 in Africa in the previous months.
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