The Big Heart Foundation has launched its 2026 Back to School Campaign to support 3,000 students in Gaza, Egypt and Sharjah with school supplies and educational assistance. The initiative aims to help children and young people continue their education despite financial hardship, conflict or displacement by providing school bags and essential learning materials, as well as funding tuition for students at The Big Heart Educational Centre in Sharjah.
Fares Al Shahm is supporting the shipment of school supplies to Gaza, while Air Arabia is assisting with shipments to Egypt. City Centre Al Zahia, part of Majid Al Futtaim, is providing space for a four-day volunteering activation in Sharjah. A donation of Dhs200 provides a student with a complete school bag and learning supplies, Dhs500 supports one month of tuition at The Big Heart Educational Centre, and Dhs7,000 funds a student’s education for a full academic year.
From 20 to 23 August, individuals, families and organisations can take part in a school-bag packing activation at City Centre Al Zahia. The activity will run daily from 10:00 to 23:00 on the mall’s first floor next to Home Centre, with volunteers packing notebooks, stationery and other learning materials for distribution.
In Gaza, the school supplies will reach children whose education has been disrupted by conflict, helping maintain a connection to learning amid ongoing challenges. Students in Egypt will receive complete school bags to begin the academic year prepared and with greater confidence. In Sharjah, donations will support students enrolled at The Big Heart Educational Centre, which offers educational and vocational pathways for children and young people from resident families with limited financial resources.
Mariam Al Hammadi, Advisory Board Member of The Big Heart Foundation, said a child’s circumstances should never determine whether they have the basic tools to learn. For children in Gaza, educational supplies can preserve an important link to learning during profound disruption. For children in Egypt, a complete school bag can help them approach the academic year with greater preparedness and confidence. She added that the campaign gives everyone a clear and meaningful role, noting that a donation, a packed school bag or support for a student’s tuition can remove an immediate barrier to education and show children that their ambitions and futures continue to matter.
Abdulla Alblooshi, Associate Director of Portfolio Management for Sharjah Shopping Malls at Majid Al Futtaim, said the organisation is proud to host the school-bag packing activation at City Centre Al Zahia. The space allows families, individuals and organisations to turn their generosity into practical support for students in need.
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Donations start from Dhs10. Users of e& can contribute by sending the code BTS26 by SMS to 7857 for Dhs10, 7859 for Dhs50, 7788 for Dhs100, 7789 for Dhs200, 7708 for Dhs500 or 7160 for Dhs1,000. Du users can send BTS26 to 9965 for Dhs10, 9967 for Dhs50 or 9968 for Dhs100. Supporters in the UAE and abroad can also donate through The Big Heart Foundation’s online platform or transfer contributions to The Big Heart Foundation – Local Projects Fund at Sharjah Islamic Bank.
The Big Heart Foundation has called on individuals, families, institutions and organisations to contribute to the campaign and has invited members of the UAE community to participate in the school-bag packing activation at City Centre Al Zahia. The foundation continues its work to ensure that children affected by hardship, conflict or displacement retain access to the basic tools and opportunities needed to pursue their education.
