About the Cause
Dubai Cares’ programs are designed to reduce, if not remove, the greatest obstacles that prevent children and young people in developing countries from attaining quality education. With each intervention, Dubai Cares evaluates the need for assistance across two key areas:
Access to Education which allows Dubai Cares to improve children’s health and learning environment, increase education enrollment and attainment, increase access to education, reduce absenteeism, increase gender parity and increase promotion rates.
Quality of Education which enables early learning, enhances educational attainment and school progression, improves literacy and numeracy skills among children, enables teachers to access teacher training resulting in better learning outcomes, reduce dropout rates and increase primary school attainment.
Dubai Cares is a long-term advocate of safeguarding children and young people’s right to education and is currently playing a global advocacy role in spreading the knowledge about the importance of providing education to the unprivileged children.
We also champion education through research - There is an overwhelming lack of evidence as to what works to promote children’s learning in crisis-affected contexts. Research plays a pivotal role in tackling this issue.
My Story
My name is Innocent Madonsela, a male activist and change leader, driven by the principle of Ubuntu. My mission is to fight Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and advocate for the protection of young girls from abuse and exploitation in my community. In less than two years, I have driven over 100,000 kilometers using my own resources to provide vital transportation for victims, often to places of safety or healthcare. This includes taking individuals to clinics, hospitals, or shelters, as the closest clinic or hospital is 50 kilometers away, with no public transport available at night. I don’t just take victims to hospitals — I transport them to wherever they may find help, whether it’s a safe house, the police station, or a shelter. This has been a critical service in a community where emergency response times are severely lacking, and my commitment is fueled by a deep sense of responsibility to protect the most vulnerable, especially young girls who are subjected to exploitation. Through my work, I have raised awareness about harmful practices such as "Funelani Nganeno" (a form of child marriage and abuse), started petitions to protect young girls, and received 10,521 supporters urging intervention from the Human Rights Commission. On December 14, 2024, in collaboration with Inpowerd, I will be hosting a Self-Defense Training Workshop for 120 females in Mjejane, Mpumalanga. The goal is to equip these women and girls with life-saving skills to defend themselves, regain control