Digital School Celebrates Collection Of Over 50,000 Devices To Support Education Initiatives

The Digital School, part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives Foundation, recently acknowledged its partners for their vital role in the "Donate Your Own Device" campaign. This initiative, in collaboration with the Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), has collected over 50,000 electronic devices under the theme "Donate to Educate." The recognition event coincided with World E-Waste Day on 14th October and aligns with the UAE's Year of Sustainability.

Omar bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence and Chairman of The Digital School’s Board, attended the event. Other attendees included Dr. Hamdan Al Mazrouei, Chairman of ERC's Board, Saeed Al Eter from Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, and several senior officials. Key contributors like Dubai Police, Emirates NBD, and DP World Foundation were honoured for their efforts.

Dubai Police received The Digital School Sustainability Badge Flag as the largest contributor to the campaign. This reflects their commitment to societal and environmental responsibility. The campaign gathered over 50,000 devices, equivalent to 120 tonnes of used electronics. Reusable devices were refurbished while non-reusable ones were recycled safely.

Omar Sultan Al Olama highlighted that empowering students with advanced learning solutions is a primary goal of The Digital School. These initiatives aim to provide future-oriented education globally. He noted that this aligns with leadership's vision for sustainability by offering a digital learning model accessible worldwide. This supports educational and environmental sustainability goals.

Dr. Hamdan Al Mazrouei emphasised that under President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's leadership, education is key for sustainable development. He stated that The Digital School is a pioneering initiative by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to advance global sustainable development goals, particularly ensuring quality education for all.

Environmental Impact and Future Plans

The "Donate Your Own Device" campaign has prevented 120 tonnes of e-waste and reduced carbon emissions by 122,000 kilograms. It saved 170,000 litres of fuel, supporting UAE’s efforts to reduce reliance on non-renewable resources. Additionally, it protected 32,000 square feet of land from toxic contamination caused by improperly disposed electronics.

Dr. Al Mazrouei also pointed out that The Digital School has introduced a transformative shift in online education using information technology and artificial intelligence. This collaboration between ERC and The Digital School reaches students in 14 countries worldwide.

Expanding Educational Opportunities

The campaign provides digital learning opportunities to thousands of underprivileged students in countries like Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Mauritania, Lebanon, Zambia, Angola, Namibia, Lesotho, Madagascar, Colombia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Mongolia. By addressing the digital divide, it equips students with modern tools for contemporary education.

The initiative supports the circular economy by turning electronic waste into useful resources through recycling and repurposing damaged devices. This reduces new resource extraction needs and minimises pollution.

Community Engagement and Future Expansion

More than 100 institutions participated in donation efforts initially targeting 10,000 devices for refurbishment or recycling from individuals and organisations. This educational initiative aims to support underprivileged students' educational journey at The Digital School.

The Digital School will continue its campaign in its second phase by welcoming contributions through official channels managed with ERC collaboration. Donations can be made via https://www.donateyourowndevice.org or SMS to specific numbers for Etisalat or du users.

The campaign was launched to support UAE’s Year of Sustainability goals with partners like "Ecyclex" refurbishing collected devices following best practices to provide digital learning tools for students.

The Digital School was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in November 2020 as the first accredited digital school of its kind under Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives. It empowers students with digital learning options where educational conditions are lacking through modern educational content.

Currently benefiting over 160,000 students across 14 countries including Jordan and Egypt among others; it has trained more than 3,000 digital teachers offering content available in five languages: Arabic English French Spanish Kurdish

With inputs from WAM