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Dubai-based charity raises funds to feed 300 children for a lifetime

In addition to providing hot meals and a safe place to stay, children will also receive help with their educational needs

A Dubai-based charity has succeeded in raising funds for a farm in Malawi that will feed 300 children for a lifetime.

Gulf for Good, a UAE-based non-profit organisation that supports sustainable projects in the developing world, raised the money through its Ramadan campaign 'Fund a Farm', where it invited the community to donate ‘virtual farm produce’ to provide funds for a full farm in Malawi.

“The funds raised will go towards purchasing a farm that will provide enough food daily for the 300 children supported by the Sparkle Foundation,” said Anne Edmondson, the chair of the foundation. “Not only will it be providing food, but it will also give us an opportunity to educate and empower the people in the community to use farming as a trade to earn a living.”

Though Malawai has made economic progress, Edmondson noted that it remains one of the poorest countries in the world.

In addition to providing a hot meal and safe place to stay, Sparkle Foundation also helps children with their educational needs.

“The work of Sparkle Foundation is commendable in that it cares for 300 of the most vulnerable children in the community. They have a preschool for younger children and an after-school service for older kids who attend classes at the government school," she said.

Edmondson added: "For many of the kids, the only time they have a hot meal is when they are within the premises of the foundation. Gulf for Good first went to volunteer at the Sparkle Foundation over the spring break when we trained some teachers. However, we realised we wanted to empower the community more and that’s how we decided to raise funds to buy land to cultivate food in it.

"Right now, we are in the process of acquiring the land. Once the farm gets up and running, the community will be able to sustain themselves with the produce from that farm.”

During its 20-year legacy in the UAE, Gulf for Good has organised more than 95 challenges, with over 1,663 participants in 29 countries in support of 61 children’s charities, raising over $4 million to build schools, children’s homes, hospitals and more, changing the lives of countless children around the world.

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In 2020 alone, during the midst of the pandemic, Gulf for Good still managed to raise more than Dh500,000 for children in need, and provided emergency relief and Covid support to its charity projects when they needed it the most.

Gulf for Good has also excelled in diversifying its offering during the pandemic with the launch of its charity retail store Thrift for Good, reselling pre-loved items and donating profits to Gulf for Good charity projects.