Last week, King’s Academy hosted Beacon of Hope UAE to support the launch of its first light distribution campaign in Jordan.

Founded and led by Her Highness Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates, Beacon of Hope UAE aims to provide youth living in war-torn or impoverished regions of the Middle East and Africa with access to literacy by offering them beacon-in-a-box solar light kits and books.

At a special assembly in the Abdul Majeed Shoman Auditorium, HH Sheikha Shamma, Minister of Climate Change and Environment HE Dr. Thani Ahmed Alzeyoudi, and Chief Sustainability Officer at Majid Al Futaim Properties Ibrahim Al Zu’bi spoke to students about climate change, environmental sustainability and the importance of educating youth to enable them to positively impact the world around them. Students learned about Beacon of Hope UAE’s vision to promote philanthropy, empathy and tolerance while creating products that provide solutions to global problems.

According to Beacon of Hope UAE, 67 million children around the world are deprived of education and 10 percent are illiterate. Lack of energy resources is one of the major factors leading to poverty and illiteracy. By providing lighting, Beacon of Hope UAE is helping to overcome this impediment to literacy and improve the lives of disadvantaged youth.

Chairman of the Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Humanitarian and Scientific Foundation His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan offered guidance to around 30 King’s students as they spent time assembling solar-powered light kits, which can serve as simple reading lamps. The lights were then distributed to children living in the UAE-funded Al Mrajeeb Al Fhood refugee camp located 20km north of Zarqa. King’s students also wrote messages of welcome, hope and support to the children in the refugee camp. 

“The light kits are straightforward and fun to make,” said Jamileh Al-Awamleh ’21, one of the Middle School students helping to assemble the kits. “So I think refugee children will easily be able to make them themselves and that will help them feel like they are doing something to improve their own situation.”