The 'Umm Al Emarat Waqf for Orphans' campaign, launched by the Endowments and Minors' Affairs Foundation (Awqaf Abu Dhabi) under the patronage of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, during the holy month of Ramadan, has achieved a new global milestone by earning a Guinness World Record in the category of 'Largest Amount Collected for a Waqf Campaign for Orphans in One Month'. Awqaf Abu Dhabi celebrated this exceptional achievement at an event attended by senior officials, partners, and supporters.
The world record was set as a crowning recognition of the campaign's exceptional success, having collected AED 3.3 billion during its run — a figure that reflects the broad community engagement with its humanitarian message and its goal of providing a sustainable waqf funding source for the care of orphans, granting them a more stable future and a better quality of life while contributing to building a more cohesive and sustainable society.
The exceptional achievement embodies the values of solidarity and social cohesion that characterise the society of the United Arab Emirates, and affirms the great trust placed in waqf initiatives as a sustainable development model capable of transforming community contributions into long-term impact that benefits future generations.
Abdulhamid Mohammed Saeed, Chairman of the Endowments and Minors' Affairs Foundation (Awqaf Abu Dhabi), said: "This global achievement represents an important milestone in the journey of waqf and humanitarian work in the United Arab Emirates, and reflects the vision of our wise leadership in entrenching a culture of sustainable giving and enhancing social responsibility.
It also affirms that investing in people, particularly orphans, is an investment in the future of society as a whole. We are proud that this world record was achieved through collective efforts that embodied the highest meanings of solidarity and social cohesion."
For his part, Fahad Abdulqader Al Qasim, Director General of the Endowments and Minors' Affairs Foundation, said: "The achievement reflects the tremendous turnout from individuals and institutions to contribute to this noble national initiative, and confirms the success of the waqf model in transforming giving into sustainable impact. Every contribution, regardless of its size, helped realise this global achievement and build a better future for orphans."
He explained that the returns from the waqf will be dedicated to supporting orphans in the areas of education, healthcare, and quality of life, ensuring continuity of support and delivering long-term developmental impact.
Dr. Mughair Khamis Al Khaili, Secretary-General of the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation, affirmed that this achievement embodies the values of the 'Year of the Family' and reflects the United Arab Emirates' belief that caring for orphans is a shared societal responsibility, noting that sustainable initiatives of this kind contribute to strengthening social cohesion and entrenching a culture of giving for future generations.
The 'Umm Al Emarat Waqf for Orphans' campaign was launched with the aim of establishing a sustainable waqf funding source for the care of orphans and transforming community contributions into long-term returns that help meet their educational, health, and livelihood needs — reinforcing the concept of waqf as a sustainable development tool that supports society's priorities and aligns with the United Arab Emirates' vision for humanitarian and charitable work.