In partnership with BRAC, Dubai Cares responded to a tragic incident in October 2014, when Safya, a Bangladeshi housemaid in Abu Dhabi, lost her life while saving a young child. Directed by the Prime Minister’s Office of the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs in November 2014, Dubai Cares launched an educational intervention to honor Safya’s memory in her birthplace, the village of Bhatapara, Bangladesh.

Engaging with key stakeholders including the UAE and Bangladesh embassies and local NGOs, Dubai Cares worked closely with BRAC, Bangladesh’s largest NGO and a trusted partner, to assess the village’s educational needs. The initiative focused on constructing and supporting a junior secondary school offering classes 6 to 8, with plans to expand to a full secondary school (grades 9 and 10) after three years.

Beyond construction, the intervention included providing furniture and equipment, supporting teacher salaries, maintaining the school, and managing program operations — all aimed at creating sustainable educational opportunities, particularly for girls who currently cannot afford to continue their education.