Live coverage: Arab Hope Maker awards ceremony in Dubai

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We are live at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai this evening for the third Arab Hope Awards, where five finalists are set to be honoured for their hunitarian efforts by His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

All five have been announced  

All finalists have been announced. Now the public will vote to select the ultimate winner of 2020 Arab Hope Makers. Before the announcement of the grand winner, the total donation will be announced

Fifth finalists: Steve Sosebee

Steve Sosebee, President and CEO of the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF)

Nationality: American, who obtained Palestinian nationality

Age: 53

Location: Ramallah, Palestine – Kent, OHIO

Experience: 25 years running the PCRF

In 1990, Steve Sosebee was working as a journalist when he met Mansour, 10, and Sabah, 11, Abu Sneineh from Hebron who were injured by a bombing of their home. He took them from the West Bank to Akron, Ohio for free medical care. They were the first kids to ever be sent to the USA for free medical care in the intifada.

Sosebee is an American who lives as a Palestinian in the West Bank with the same restrictions of movement that every Palestinian has to live under.

Sosebee then met a Palestinian woman named Huda al Masry, a social worker with the YMCA in Jerusalem. They married in 1993, and had two daughters, Jenna and Deema. Together they built the PCRF with many volunteers all over the world, and managed to send hundreds of children to the USA for free care.

Now 53 years old, Sosebee brought more than 5,000 doctors to Palestine who treated more than 25,000 patients in the West Bank and Gaza. The medical care he provides has changed the lives of over 2,000 children of the special needs and supplied over 40,000 prostheses.

In 2009, Steve’s first wife Huda passed away from cancer after a long battle, and Sosebee moved back with his daughters to Palestine where they built the first public pediatric cancer department named after her in Beit Jala Hospital in the West Bank that treats over 1,200 children annually. Another center was established in Gaza.

According to Steve, Sheikh Mohammed helped in the treatment of Huda.

While being interviewed on stage, Steve said he is honoured to carry a Palestinian passport. Speaking in Arabic, he added: “What I;m doing is about bring the message of hope.”

Fourth finalist: Ahmed Al Falasi

Ahmed Al Falasi, businessman

Age: 60

Nationality: Emirati

Location: Kenya, Mombasa

Ahmed Al Falasi was devastated when his mother died of kidney failure. She had struggled for years during her treatment and kidney dialysis.

On a visit to Kenya, he was shocked to find ragged beds and patients on the waiting list for months before they receive their kidney dialysis. One bed sometimes accommodated two people at once.

“I once saw a woman and felt she is my mother telling me that she’s sick and she needs to do her dialysis. These people are less fortunate and I wonder how they live like this?”

Al Falasi refurbished the Coast General Hospital in Kenya’s Mombasa, transforming it into one of the most advanced medical facilities in Kenya.

Third finalist: Mohamed Bzeek

Mohamed Bzeek, former engineer, now full-time caregiver to terminally-ill children

Age: 64

Nationality: Libyan-American

Location: Los Angeles

Experience: over 30 years

Mohamed Bzeek, father of a son with special needs, noticed the rising numbers of abandoned children due to their terminal illness.

He took it as his responsibility to raise them at his home, knowing that they need to feel loved, supported and cared for.

Over 22,000 children are banned every year due to their terminal illness in the United States.

Taking cudgels for the kids, Bzeek said, “No one wants to deal with death. These children are born terminally ill and they needs a lot of care and medications, so no one wants them. No one wants to deal with this burden. They spend their life in the hospital until they die.”

“The way parents leave their children is still beyond me. How do they live, sleep and eat knowing they left their children’s behind?”

Bzeek has partaken proper training to enable him to provide the best care for his foster children.

Over 30 years, he sheltered more than 80 terminally ill children at his home.

Second finalist: Dr Mujahed Mustafa 

Dr. Mujahed Mustafa, 60, general surgeon

Nationality: Egyptian

Location: Tala village, Beni Suef Governate, Egypt

Experience: over 35 years

Known as the doctor of the poor, Dr. Mujahed Mustafa has dedicated his life to combating poverty and illness in his hometown Bani Suef, located in the south of Cairo.

After graduating from college, Mustafa was offered a job at the esteemed Kasr Al Ainy Hospital, a research and teaching hospital in Cairo, Egypt. He rejected the offer and chose to stay at Tala village of Bani Suef Governate, treating his patients for only 10 Egyptian pounds (Dh2). People who cannot afford the treatment are given free checkups and medicines.

Mustafa’s services are offered where medical facilities across Egypt usually charge patients up to 300 Egyptian pounds (Dh70) for only checkup.

On a daily basis, Mustafa sees 200-250 patients.

First of five finalists: Ali Al Ghamdi

Nationality: Saudi Arabia

Location: around Africa

Experience: about 19 years

Labelled the “father of orphans,” Al Ghamdi fosters 7,000 orphans and children from disadvantaged families in 28 countries across Africa. He also provides assistance to more than 2,000 families, empowering them to nurture orphans.

Besides establishing three schools that benefit over 1,200 students, including the special needs, Al Ghamdi helped construct 21 orphanages.

His journey with orphans started when his wife gave birth to twins after years of having conception difficulties. He had adopted Faris at his homeland Saudi Arabia, and after he got twins, he started travelling across Africa to support orphans where hunger and malnutrition kills thousands.

“People think dying of hunger is a myth, but I swear I had many children dying in my arms.”

A former volleyball coach from Saudi with around 19 years experience.   

A Saudi national and former volleyball coach, he set up a programme to connect orphans with alternative families that shelters for them. He supports those families with tonnes of food items every month.

The public will vote among the five finalists who will be hailed as ultimate winner of the 2020 Arab Hope Maker

Dh43 million raised to build heart centre in Egypt

The mood at Coca Cola Arena was euphoric as business and civic leaders from the UAE and the Arab world have pledged enormous donations to building the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center in Egypt.

One by one, the captains of the UAE business industry came up on stage to announce their contributions.

Hussain Sajwani, representing DAMAC Foundation, kicked off the pledging session with a hefty donation of Dh3 million. Sunny Varkey, founder and chairman of GEMS Education, followed suit with his own pledge of Dh3M.

Mishal Kanoo, another UAE business magnate, donated Dh3M, followed by Yusuff Ali of LuLu Group International who also gave Dh3M.

Mohammad Al Ansari, Chairman & Managing Director of Al Ansari Exchange, upped the ante and announced a donation of Dh6M while Samih Sawiris from Sawiris Foundation for Social Development – Egypt pledged another Dh6M.

Emirates Islamic Bank donated Dh5M; the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority pledged Dh6M and Dh5M respectively. Dubai-based Emirates Airline also donated Dh6.

Meanwhile, Egyptian actor and comedian Ahmed Helmy was announced as the Ambassador of Hope. He also pledged 1 million Egyptian pound.

A total of Dh43M and 1 million Egyptian pounds were raised in the first hour of the Arab Hope Makers Awarding Ceremony.

Named after the renowned Egyptian-British Dr. Magdi Yacoub who performed more than 40,000 open heart surgeries and conducted over 2,000 heart transplants, the specialized facility will provide free-of-charge cardiovascular care to patients across the Arab world.

The center will conduct 12,000 heart surgeries annually, of which 70 per cent will target children. Its clinics will also receive over 80,000 patients annually and train over 1,000 cardiologists and cardiac surgeons.

Announcement 

The actor Ahmad Helms donates Dh1 million Egyptian pound and is appointed ambassador for the Arab Hope Maker initiative  

Pledges so far 

• Damac Dh3 million
• GEMS Education Dh3 million
• Lulu Dh3 million
• Al Ansari Exchange Dh6 million
• Sawairis Foundation Dh 6million
• Emirates Islamic Bank Dh5 million
• RTA Dh6 million
• DEWA Dh5 million
• Emirates Airlines Dh3 million
• Mishal Kano Dh3 million
• All proceeds go to the Magdi Yacoub Heart Centre in Egypt

All you need to know about Arab Hope Maker

The stage is set for the announcement of the grand winner of the Arab Hope Maker 2020 today at the Coca-Cola Arena in City Walk Dubai.

Launched in 2017, the Arab Hope Maker is an annual award launched in 2017 by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, honouring people for their humanitarian projects.

Shaikh Mohammed will crown the Arab Hope Maker 2020 in a grand variety show that is expected to attract an audience of 12,000 people who will vote for the grand winner after watching the inspiring stories of the five finalists whose humanitarian projects and efforts lead a positive change in their communities.

The third edition of the Arab Hope Makers initiative drew a whopping 92,000 entries from 38 countries, including 15 Arab countries among which Egypt topped the list of participations and 23 Western countries led by Germany in terms of participations.

The candidates passed through several qualifying stages before 20 semi-finalists were selected. Today (February 20) the five finalists will be announced and the audience will hear their inspiring stories before selecting the ultimate winner who will receive Dh1 million cash prize.

In an earlier interview with Gulf News, Hamdah Al Bigishi, project manager at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), said: “This year’s Arab Hope Makers finale will be the biggest yet, with a host of Arab celebrities, media figures, social media influencers and leading humanitarians.

“The grand show will feature the big Arab headliners Nawal Al Kuwaitia, Emirati singer Balqees and Palestinian pop singer Mohammed Assaf. The multi-Grammy award-winning singer and songwriter RedOne will bring a unique global touch with an unforgettable performance.”

A number of distinguished Arab celebrities and media personalities including Kuwaiti comedian and actor Tariq Al Ali, Saudi Arabian actor Fayez Al Malki, Syrian actor Qusai Khouli and Egyptian media figures Mona Al Shazli and Amr Adeeb alongside Egyptian actor Ahmed Helmy will also attend the celebrations.

Show for a cause

Also for the first time since its inception, the Arab Hope Makers final show will allocate its proceeds towards supporting the construction of Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Center in Egypt.

Set to become among the region’s biggest specialized facility in cardiac care, the new heart center in Egypt will expand access to a world-class treatment among vulnerable communities through a fully-equipped facility with the latest research and surgical technologies and qualified medical staff.

Named after the renowned Egyptian-British Dr. Magdi Yacoub who performed more than 40,000 open heart surgeries and conducted over 2,000 heart transplants, the specialized facility will provide free-of-charge cardiovascular care to patients across the Arab world.

The center will conduct 12,000 heart surgeries annually, of which 70 per cent will target children. Its clinics will also receive over 80,000 patients annually and train over 1,000 cardiologists and cardiac surgeons.

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