•Money raised this year will go towards further infrastructural developments at North Road Primary School in Mbale, Uganda
•Fundraising enables Emirates Dubai 7s team to use the power of sport to improve education and sports facilities in disadvantaged areas
•Now in its fourth year, the programme has raised a total of UGX 1.7 billion to date
Emirates’ ‘Dubai 7s for Good’ CSR programme, dedicated to developing sports and educational facilities in disadvantaged areas, has raised 587,485,310 Ugandan Shillings (UGX), which will go towards building community infrastructure and sports amenities at North Road Primary School in Uganda. During a fundraising event hosted in Dubai, the programme achieved its highest total of UGX 587,485,310 in just a few hours, bringing the total to UGX 1.7 billion raised over the past four years.
In July next year, a team of volunteers will travel out to Uganda to lay the groundwork for the 2025 plan. Funds raised by the programme so far have made a significant impact at North Road Primary, a school recognised for its excellence in rugby, football, and netball, embodying Uganda’s rugby heritage. Nearly half of the students participate in rugby, and the school’s team is one of the best in Eastern Uganda.
Since its inception in 2021, the programme has supported the development of sports facilities at the school, establishing a rugby pitch and donating equipment along with delivering coaching for both adults and children.
In addition to promoting sports development, the funds have been used to build better infrastructure for the school’s community, creating a safer and healthier environment for students and locals. Last year, the programme facilitated the construction of a new water station with a 100,000-litre tank and installed a solar-powered system to supply clean water across 16 other stations. Volunteers also helped make major repairs and improvements throughout the school grounds.
Funds raised from this year’s fundraising event will go towards immediate community development needs, such as building a retaining wall to protect the rugby pitch from erosion and constructing a security fence to ensure the safety of children when playing sports on school grounds.
Refurbishments to the on-site living quarters will improve accommodations for boarding students, while new changing rooms will support the growing sports programmes at the school. Additionally, a netball court will be built, with the sport growing in popularity among the girls at North Road Primary.
Matthew Burn, Emirates Dubai 7s for Good Programme Lead, commented: “The funds raised this year will make a meaningful difference in the lives of the students at North Road Primary and the wider Mbale community. We know that sport is a powerful tool to enrich, inspire, and bring people together, and this is evident in the success of the Dubai 7s For Good programme so far.”
He added: “We are aware that nearly 50% of children in Uganda do not complete primary school, so by improving facilities and creating a safe environment with access to sports amenities, we can empower students to unlock their potential, both on the pitch and in the classroom.”
Since Emirates first launched to Entebbe in 2000, the airline has invested in Ugandan communities through the Emirates Airline Foundation, a non-profit charity organization which aims to improve the quality of life for children, regardless of geographical, political, or religious boundaries, and to help them maintain or improve their human dignity.
In 2023, Emirates provided tickets to volunteers from World Wide Smiles (FWWS) to travel to Uganda to offer dental healthcare and education on oral health.
The Foundation has also been a long-term supporter of Uganda and US-based NGO, Outreach to Africa, who provide medical centres, nurseries, elementary schools and education sponsorship programmes for thousands of disadvantaged children.
