Students for Students 2025 Unites UAE Schools for a Powerful Cause
In line with the UAE’s Year of Community, Dubai Cares has launched the 2025 edition of its flagship community initiative, Students for Students. The programme empowers students across the country to raise funds for peers from low-income families — and this year’s impact was greater than ever.
A total of 17 participating schools collectively raised over AED 672,000. These funds supported large-scale Volunteer Day activities where students packed school kits for underserved learners across the UAE.
Skechers Donates 10,000 Schoolbags to Boost Student Impact
Leading footwear brand Skechers, operated by Apparel Group, joined the initiative as a key partner. The brand donated 10,000 schoolbags, significantly expanding the scale and reach of Students for Students 2025.
In addition to Skechers, 7X, through its logistics arm EMX, played a vital role. The company ensured smooth delivery, storage, and upcoming distribution of the packed school kits. Bags will reach schools and organisations across the UAE before the new academic year.
KHDA also supported the initiative as a Strategic Partner, helping unite the education community behind a common cause.
What’s in the School Kits?
Each packed schoolbag contains a full set of supplies to support learning from day one:
- Backpack and pencil case
- Arabic and English notebooks
- Sketchbook, pencils, pens, and coloured pencils
- Erasers, sharpeners, rulers, glue sticks, and whiteboard markers
These kits will be distributed to:
- National Charity Schools
- Umm Al Qura School
- Al Rashidiya Private School
- Al Dhaid Private School
- Al Itihad Charity Foundation
- Hemaya Schools
- Al Ihsan Charity Association
- Al Tafawq Private School
Quotes from Leaders Behind the Initiative
Abdulla Ahmed AlShehhi, Chief Operating Officer at Dubai Cares, said:
“Students for Students goes beyond providing school supplies, it nurtures a spirit of empathy, generosity, and active citizenship among young people. We are incredibly proud of the dedication shown by all participating schools and deeply grateful to partners like Skechers and 7X for helping us scale our impact in 2025. Together, we’re not only supporting students from low-income families, but also inspiring the next generation to lead with compassion and purpose.”
Neeraj Teckchandani, CEO of Apparel Group, shared:
“At Apparel Group, we deeply believe in the power of giving back, and in the role we play as a connector between global brands and local communities. Through Skechers, we are honoured to support Students for Students—a remarkable initiative that not only provides school supplies, but also inspires empathy, unity, and purpose among youth. This is how we build a better future together.”
Laith Tahboub, General Manager of EMX, commented:
“As the logistics arm of 7X, EMX is proud to contribute to this impactful initiative by Dubai Cares, particularly in a year dedicated to fostering community spirit. By managing the storage, movement, and delivery of school kits, we supported the operational aspects to help ensure that the students’ efforts translated into meaningful impact on the ground. It is truly inspiring to witness young people step forward to support one another, and we remain committed to playing our part in initiatives that reflect the values of compassion, collaboration, and shared responsibility.”
Schools That Participated in Students for Students 2025
This year’s participating schools included:
GEMS Education Group:
- GEMS FirstPoint School
- GEMS Legacy School
- GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis
- GEMS Wellington International School
- GEMS World Academy
International Schools Partnership (ISP):
- Nibras International School
- Star International School Al Twar
- Star International School Mirdif
- The Aquila School
- The English College
Other Participating Schools:
- American School of Creative Science, Nad Al Sheba
- Delhi Private School Dubai
- Dubai English Speaking School
- Hartland International School
- International School of Creative Science, Nad Al Sheba
- Jumeirah College
- Kings’ School Al Barsha
About Dubai Cares:
Since its inception in 2007, Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has been working towards providing children and youth in developing countries with access to quality education through the design and funding of programs that aim to be impactful, sustainable and scalable. To date, the UAE-based global philanthropic organization has successfully launched education programs reaching over 116 million direct and indirect beneficiaries in 60 developing countries.
Dubai Cares plays a key role in helping achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and quality education for all, and promote lifelong learning by 2030, by supporting programs in early childhood development, access to quality primary and secondary education, technical and vocational education and training for youth as well as a particular focus on education in emergencies and protracted crises. Moreover, Dubai Cares adopts a strategic approach to improve student enrollment and learning outcomes through an integrated school health and nutrition model that is made up of school-based deworming activities, school feeding, and WASH (Water, Sanitation & Hygiene) in schools.
Dubai Cares is a civil society organization formally associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (UN DGC), as well as a registered non-government organization under IACAD, the charitable activities regulator in Dubai. The UAE-based global philanthropic organization is authorized to raise funds through direct donations and fundraising campaigns, as well as process all permit approvals with IACAD.
Volunteerism is a powerful tool to Dubai Cares in order to engage people in tackling development challenges. Dubai Cares rallies the UAE wider community through a large spectrum of volunteering and awareness initiatives that are linked to its global mandate.
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About 7X:
7X, a Public Joint Stock Company under the Emirates Investment Authority. It operates as a trade, transport, and logistics investment and holding group, headquartered in Dubai, overseeing and managing its diverse portfolio, including its logistics arm EMX, its fintech arm FINTX, its digital transformation business EDC, and postal services through Emirates Post.
7X supports the UAE’s socio-economic development by integrating national goals across logistics, eCommerce, financial inclusion, and digitalization. It is the driving force enabling a world in motion from the 7 emirates to the 7 continents, and across the 7 seas.