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'You are now like my daughters': UAE businessman welcomes 3 Afghan girls to Dubai, sponsors their education

The girls thanked the businessman and even handed him a small token of their appreciation

Published: Sun 27 Aug 2023, 8:20 AM

Updated: Mon 28 Aug 2023, 1:39 PM

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Founder and CEO of Al Habtoor Group, Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, met with three Afghan girls after they safely arrived in Dubai.

The businessman is offering the three girls a new lease of life by sponsoring their higher education in the UAE. Posting a video of meeting the girls on X, formerly known as Twitter, Al Habtoor said to them on a heartwarming note: "I will treat you now like you are my daughters."

He reassured the girls by telling them that the UAE is the "safest country in the world" and that they are now in one of the safest places even within the country.

“I chose for you the best university. You are now in the safest country in the world and you are with safe people. The most important to me is discipline in life. You’re coming here for a mission which you have to achieve,” the billionaire told Afghan students in the presence of Eesa Bastaki, president of the University of Dubai.

Watch the moving video here:

The businessman said in the caption of his X post: "This morning, in the presence of Dr Essa Al Bastaki and the management team at Al Habtoor Group, I met three Afghan female students who made it to Dubai safely, They are among those who received the comprehensive scholarship that I provided them with in collaboration with the University of Dubai."

"I welcomed them in the safest country in the world, as I stated, I am entirely in charge of seeing to their comfort and safety, including taking care of their studies, housing, and other extensive services like transportation, and health insurance. We are hoping to see the rest of their classmates in Dubai very soon."

Dr Essa Al Bastaki, the President of the University of Dubai, also addressed the girls. He even reassured them by talking to them about the UAE, saying, "there is no difference between men and women in terms of opportunities, rights [to] education."

The girls thanked the businessman and even handed him a small token of their appreciation.

Just last week, the billionaire took to the microblogging platform to convey that more than 60 Afghan female students had been stopped at the Kabul airport. They were travelling to Dubai for higher education on scholarship.

“I was eagerly awaiting their arrival, as was my team at the Al Habtoor Group, after months of continuous work to ensure the provision of scholarships from prominent universities in the UAE. I find myself unable to express the disappointment I currently feel. This is a significant tragedy against humanity, against education, equality, and justice. I appeal to all relevant parties for urgent intervention to rescue and assist these students,” said Al Habtoor.

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