More than 1,000 students from eligible families in Dubai will receive school supplies and tablets ahead of the 2026–2027 academic year, under a new "Back to School" initiative launched by the Community Development Authority (CDA), The Dubai Community Contributions Establishment (Jood), and the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (Awqaf Dubai).
The launch brought together senior officials including Her Excellency Aisha Abdulla Miran, Director General of the Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), Maitha Al Shamsi, CEO of the Community Empowerment Sector at CDA, and Marwan Rashid bin Hashem, CEO of Jood.
Who is behind the initiative
The program draws support from a wide network of government and private partners, including KHDA, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA), Dubai Customs, UAE Food Bank, Emirates Health Services, Dubai World Trade Centre, Dubai Investments, Apparel Group, Imdaad, Tilal Fashion, and Jordan Oral Care. That range of backers, spanning education, health, trade and retail, points to an initiative designed to pool resources from across Dubai's public and private sectors rather than rely on a single funding source.
What organisers say it will achieve
Maitha Al Shamsi framed the initiative as part of a broader push to support families and channel resources where they are needed most. "Through this integrated approach, we strengthen family stability and enhance the quality of life of community members, transforming social responsibility into tangible impact by directing resources towards actual priorities and supporting the aspirations of our students," she said.
Marwan Rashid bin Hashem said the effort rests on the conviction that education is a fundamental pillar of human development, underscoring why supplies and tablets were chosen as the focus of the campaign ahead of the new school year.
Ahmed Abu Shehab, representing Awqaf Dubai, said the foundation's involvement reflects the role sustainable endowment can play in meeting community needs, tying the initiative to a longer-term model of charitable giving rather than a one-off donation drive.
Why it matters for Dubai families
For families in Dubai who qualify, the initiative removes one of the more immediate financial pressures that comes with the start of a school year: the cost of supplies and devices now considered standard for classroom learning. By pairing CDA and Jood with Awqaf Dubai and a broad roster of government entities and companies, the initiative signals a coordinated approach to student welfare that spans identity services, customs, health provision, and retail support alongside education authorities.
No further details on distribution timelines or eligibility criteria were disclosed at the launch, but the scale of support, more than 1,000 students, marks the initiative as one of the more expansive back-to-school efforts organised in Dubai for the coming academic year.
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