Imagine losing your home, having to move to an unfamiliar country where you don’t speak the language, leaving all your prized possessions and family behind. It’s possibly the most difficult ordeal a family will have to go through, According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), this is the horrible reality for 65.3 million “forcibly displaced people” in the world, impossible for many of us to even comprehend.
Unfortunately the Middle East and North Africa [MENA] region is currently host to the world’s largest number of refugees, 16.7 million to be precise.
Careem, the region’s leading ride hailing app (which most of us probably have and use regularly) has teamed up with UNHCR – the UN’s refugee arm – to create a car option in-tune with an initiative created in honour of the UAE Year of Giving launched by President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
On the app, Careem users can now select the UNHCR car option when booking, which will automatically add a fixed Dhs3 donation to each trip, all funds raised will directly go to UNHCR. The UNHCR car types are expected to come online in Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia ahead of the first day of Ramadan, the Muslim season of giving.
Toby Harward, Head of UNHCR UAE added: ‘With more than 16.7 million refugees and internally displaced persons in the Middle East and North Africa region, there is a big need for new advocacy and funding initiatives in the region, including with the private sector. UNHCR places great importance on seeking creative new approaches for the good of refugees. Our partnership with Careem perfectly reflects this spirit of innovation, and we are really excited by this initiative.’
A word to the wise; while we appreciate and support this honourable move by Careem, next time you book a ride to your favourite Japanese restaurant at the DIFC for a Dhs500 per head meal, remember you can donate straight to the UNHCR.
