There are few moments more powerful than seeing students come together for a cause bigger than themselves. Now in its third year, Dubai Cares’ Students for Students initiative invites schools across the UAE to take part in a movement that turns compassion into action – one school bag at a time.
Students for Students is a unique initiative by Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), that is designed to empower students across the UAE to support their peers from low-income families. By participating, students play a vital role in ensuring that all children have access to the education they deserve.
What began as a simple idea to help peers from low-income families has evolved into one of the country’s most inspiring youth-led community campaigns. Last year alone, 17 participating schools raised over AED 672,000, rallying more than 2,000 student volunteers who packed thousands of school kits for children across the Emirates.
A Journey of Giving“Students for Students goes beyond providing school supplies – it nurtures empathy, generosity, and active citizenship among young people,” said Abdulla Ahmed Al Shehhi, Chief Operating Officer at Dubai Cares
The initiative follows a simple but deeply meaningful journey. Once a school registers, students work together to raise funds. Each school commits to providing either 500 or 1,000 school kits, priced at AED 84 each. What happens next is where the magic unfolds.
Students transform classrooms and halls into hubs of generosity, hosting creative fundraising events, bake sales, sports challenges, and charity drives. Then comes the highlight – the Volunteer Day when students, teachers, and parents gather to pack the kits with essential stationery and supplies. Every kit represents opportunity, dignity, and hope for another child.
These kits are then distributed by Dubai Cares, in partnership with EMX Logistics and KHDA, to charity schools across the UAE. Last year, the initiative reached students in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, and Ras Al Khaimah.
Stories That Inspire
From Delhi Private School Dubai to Dubai English Speaking School, participating students describe the experience as life-changing.
“The experience was both enjoyable and fulfilling, bringing me great happiness. As a young person, opportunities to give back are rare, and I feel privileged to be part of such a meaningful cause,” shared a student from DPS Dubai
“We wanted our students to witness firsthand the real outcomes of charitable work,” added a Deputy Headteacher from DESS
Why Schools Should Join
For schools, participation offers more than community service hours. It enhances reputation, strengthens values, and fosters unity across students, staff, and parents. It is a real-world learning opportunity that connects lessons from the classroom to life beyond it – teaching empathy, leadership, and responsibility.
Corporate partners, too, have joined hands to amplify this mission. Last year, Skechers, operated by Apparel Group, donated 10,000 school kits, ensuring every child received high-quality supplies and a confident start to the school year.
Benefits for Students
By joining the Students for Students initiative, the students will:
- Develop Leadership Skills: Lead impactful projects that make a lasting difference in the lives of their less privileged peers while encouraging students to fundraise for an important cause.
- Offer Volunteering Opportunities: Instill the spirit of volunteering in students through meaningful initiatives and activities.
- Foster Global Empathy: Gain insight into the challenges faced by peers from low-income families, nurturing global citizenship.
- Build a Legacy of Giving: Inspire a culture of compassion and generosity, leaving a positive mark for future generations
Join the 2025 Edition
The third edition of Students for Students officially launches this month, and schools are invited to register and take part. An introductory webinar will be held on Monday, 27 October 2025, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM, where Dubai Cares will share the initiative’s goals, participation process, and impact stories.
Webinar link:
For schools unable to attend the session, Dubai Cares encourages reaching out directly at sc*****@********es.ae for more information.
As the UAE continues to celebrate community spirit, Students for Students reminds us that kindness, when shared early, becomes a lifelong habit. Every bag packed is a lesson in empathy. Every smile shared is proof that small actions can create lasting change.