Emirates has launched its Aircrafted KIDS initiative in Middle East and North Africa, donating 800 bags to two non-profit organisations in Egypt. The initiative was born from the understanding that while education is one of the greatest engines for societal development and economic empowerment, access to resources is a barrier for children and young people. To help address this, Emirates launched an initiative to donate essential supplies and limited-edition, handcrafted backpacks from its ‘Aircrafted by Emirates’ collection to organisations across Africa and West Asia, and now in the MENA region.
Educate Me and Resala serve local communities by creating a nurturing and inspirational space, for financially disadvantaged youths to continue their education. With a longstanding legacy of supporting youth, and a particular focus on education, Emirates aims to support both organisations’ students with their schooling by providing practical, stylish backpacks and stationery supplies. The initiative reinforces the airline’s commitment to ‘connecting communities’ by building enduring relationships and making meaningful differences in the destinations it serves.
Abdalla Al Zamani, Country Manager for Egypt, Emirates, said: “Education is one of the most powerful tools we have to change society, inspiring and empowering the next generation to build a brighter future. We wanted to support that learning journey by providing the students at Resala and Educate Me with the essential tools for their education, along with a little piece of Emirates’ history, in the form of upcycled backpacks. We have a long and rich history serving Egypt dating back almost four decades, and we remain committed today, not just to scaling our operations but to enriching the surrounding communities too.”
To ensure the organisations received exactly what they needed for each and every student, Resala and Educate Me handpicked the specific bags they required from the ‘Aircrafted by Emirates’ collection, accounting for children of all ages. The backpacks were then handmade by the Emirates Engineering team in-house, with materials upcycled from the airline’s iconic A380 and 777 aircraft.
"Resala Charity Organization is proud to partner with Emirates Airline in this impactful initiative, empowering 800 children with access to quality education across Egypt. Resala works to support children in underprivileged rural areas through innovative educational programs that combine direct learning, alternative education, and skill development. We sincerely thank Emirates for their support, which brings us closer to our vision of inclusive and equitable education for all," added Adel AbdelFattah, Director of Community Convoys & Volunteering.
In addition to the bags, Emirates provided school supplies such as pens, pencils, geometry sets, notebooks and more. The airline also purchased books from local authors, which blend culturally rich stories with interactive learning opportunities. The books can be swapped and discussed amongst the students, further developing their understanding of the material. The Emirates team based in Egypt visited both Educate Me and Resala to deliver the 800 bags and meet Egypt’s leaders of tomorrow.
"We are deeply grateful to Emirates Airline for their generous contribution, which goes far beyond school supplies. At Educate Me, we believe education is a gateway for children to shape a better future for themselves — to not just survive, but dream. This kind of support helps create a more engaging and enriching learning environment, giving students the opportunity to grow, explore, and imagine new possibilities for their lives,” commented Christine Safwat, Executive Director of Educate Me Foundation.
Through the Emirates Airline Foundation, Emirates has a long history of supporting children’s welfare programmes, and ‘Aircrafted KIDS’ by Emirates is an extension of this work. In total, more than 50,000 kg of materials from 205 aircraft slated to undergo the airline’s interior cabin retrofit programme are expected to be recovered and repurposed. In addition to the donations made in Egypt, Emirates provided organisations in Zambia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia with bags, bringing the total donation to 1,239 in Africa alone, with a further 744 donated in Dhaka, Pakistan and India.
