The Reach Campaign, backed by the airline, will launch this month in the UAE and will expand to a global audience in a bid to wipe out the disease. The campaign will be two pronged, focusing on fundraising and education.
More than 200 million people currently require treatment for the disease, which is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness. Like many NTDs, river blindness disproportionately affects the world’s poorest people, trapping their families in cycles of poverty.
As a founding partner, Etihad is leveraging its platforms in support of both fundraising and promotional activities.
They will be raising awareness at City’s Premier League home game against West Ham United on Wednesday 19 February, when information about the Reach Campaign will be available in the matchday programme and visible on the stadium’s LED advertising boards.
“The Reach Campaign is the latest effort in the UAE’s long commitment to ending NTDs,” explained Nassar Abdul Raouf Al Mubarak, the spokesperson for the Reach Campaign.
“Our culture is one of generosity and we recognize our responsibility to help those around the world that suffer from preventable diseases.
“This campaign is a platform for the UAE to come together as a community around the very tangible goal of ending river blindness and thus improving the life of millions around the world.”
Etihad Airways’ Head of Sustainability and CSR, Mariam Al Qubaisi echoed this sentiment, adding: “Corporate responsibility is an incredibly important pillar of Etihad, as we are dedicated to building programmes that not only support the residents of the UAE, but improve the lives of people around the globe.
“River blindness is a terrible disease that impacts millions of individuals who have contracted it, as well as their families and communities. Working together we can end river blindness and give hope and a future to millions.”
The money raised from the campaign will be donated to the Reaching the Last Mile Fund (RLMF), a 10-year, $100 million USD initiative launched in 2017 by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and several supporters.
The RLMF delivers prevention and treatment across seven countries in Africa and the Middle East and is also working to eliminate co-endemic lymphatic filariasis (LF), which can lead to the equally debilitating elephantiasis.
In 2018, the RLMF delivered more than 13.5 million treatments for river blindness and LF, training 76,000 health care workers to help increase the number of sufferers receiving treatment.
For more information and to find out how you can support the Reach Campaign, please visit: www.reachtheend.org or, @reachtheendorg across social media.
