One day three years ago, in the early hours, Israeli forces struck the Beit Lahia Primary School in Gaza with white phosphorous and artillery shells.
At least two bombs exploded, killing four pupils. The burning chemicals wrecked the playground. The blasts damaged the school building and scattered most of the nearly 2,000 refugees who had sought shelter in the United Nations-run school.
A year later, Beit Lahia was the first school to be adopted as part of a United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) programme. In 2011, the UAE's Khalifa Foundation took over most of the school's major costs, including repairs.
"A lot of our activities," says Dr Mahmoud Hemdiat, UNRWA's education chief in Gaza, "are funded by our family in the Emirates."
The family is staying.
This spring, the Khalifa Foundation signed an extension to support the school, which has been renamed Khalifa bin Zayed School, for a second year. Under the Adopt A School programme, the humanitarian organisation pays teacher salaries and provides pupils with computers, uniforms, hygiene kits and stationery.
UNRWA authorities said the UAE's sponsorship was a model for the Adopt a School programme. The UN hopes the initiative will help support existing schools, since the Israeli blockade limits the construction of new schools.
"All of the Gaza Strip is suffering or living in complex or complicated circumstances, and our full respect and our full appreciation is to our brothers in the UAE," Dr Hemdiat says.
In 2010, the Palestinian Territories was the biggest recipient of UAE foreign aid, receiving Dh363million, according to the UAE Office for the Coordination of Foreign Aid's most recent report.
That works out to 13 per cent of the UAE's total foreign aid that year. The federal Government was the single largest donor, contributing Dh162 million. Of that, Dh158million was general budget support to the Palestinian Authority.
Ninety-five per cent of all aid to the territories went towards development projects. The majority of humanitarian relief came from the Red Crescent, which donated Dh8 million for health and shelter.
The Khalifa Foundation gave Dh8.3 million to the Palestinian Territories in 2010.
Khalifa bin Zayed School hosts two elementary schools, one for boys and one for mixed classes, and serves nearly 3,000 pupils.
"I can claim it is one of the best schools in the Gaza Strip," says Adnan Abu Hasna, a media adviser for the UNRWA. "We have seen a dramatic change in the past two years, and now thousands of students are requesting to go to our schools."
Before the Khalifa Foundation arrived, the school had been struggling to recover.
The school "really suffered from a lack of interest and attention", Mr Hasna says. "The level of teachers was very low, and we lacked support services for students."
The foundation's money enables the school to buy sporting equipment and to start football and volleyball teams. Classes in reading, writing and mathematics have been improved, and the number of classrooms has risen from 23 to 29.
"We try to educate them on citizenship, global citizenship, and Islamic identity," Dr Hemdiat says. "We encourage students to be creative and more active."
The school's headmaster, Riad Maleeha, says it ranked first in performance in its region this year.
"The school has had a very positive effect on the community, because we encourage our students to do well," Mr Maleeha says.
The Khalifa Foundation and UNRWA have been working together since 2008, when the foundation supported a project to feed to poor refugees in Gaza.
UNRWA operates more than 220 schools in Gaza.
jthomas@thenational.ae
The Birkin bag is made by Hermès.
It is named after actress and singer Jane Birkin
Noone from Hermès will go on record to say how much a new Birkin costs, how long one would have to wait to get one, and how many bags are actually made each year.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
ENGLAND%20SQUAD
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Teaching in coronavirus times
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
The biog
From: Ras Al Khaimah
Age: 50
Profession: Electronic engineer, worked with Etisalat for the past 20 years
Hobbies: 'Anything that involves exploration, hunting, fishing, mountaineering, the sea, hiking, scuba diving, and adventure sports'
Favourite quote: 'Life is so simple, enjoy it'
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Ukraine v Portugal, Monday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-AMG C63 S Cabriolet
Price, base: Dh429,090
Engine 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission Seven-speed automatic
Power 510hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque 700Nm @ 1,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.2L / 100km
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5