Awqaf Abu Dhabi, LuLu Group launch AED100m projects for orphans - Dubai 92 - The UAE's Feel Great radio station

Awqaf Abu Dhabi and LuLu Group to develop AED100 million projects to fund orphan care

Abu Dhabi’s Endowments and Minors’ Funds Authority (Awqaf Abu Dhabi) has signed a memorandum of understanding with LuLu Group International to develop commercial projects valued at AED100 million, with returns earmarked to support orphans across the UAE. The MoU was signed by Awqaf Abu Dhabi Director General Fahd Abdulqader Al Qassim and Ashraf Ali M.A., Executive Director of LuLu Group International, under the umbrella of the “Mother of the Nation Endowment for Orphans” initiative, launched under the patronage of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

"The private sector had an important role to play in supporting national initiatives through responsible investment that delivers lasting benefits for communities," LuLu Group Chairman Yusuff Ali said, underscoring the company’s stated commitment to socially responsible development.

Under the agreement, Awqaf Abu Dhabi will allocate endowment land managed by the authority for the construction of the commercial projects, while LuLu Group will take responsibility for overseeing construction and operating the developments. Officials said revenue generated from the projects will be channelled into long-term care programmes and initiatives designed to improve the quality of life for orphans, and will also contribute to wider charitable and social programmes run by Awqaf Abu Dhabi.

• Partners: Awqaf Abu Dhabi (Endowments and Minors’ Funds Authority) and LuLu Group International
• Deal: Memorandum of understanding to develop commercial projects worth AED100 million
• Signatories: Fahd Abdulqader Al Qassim (Director General, Awqaf Abu Dhabi) and Ashraf Ali M.A. (Executive Director, LuLu Group International)
• Initiative: Part of the “Mother of the Nation Endowment for Orphans,” under the patronage of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan
• Purpose: Generate sustainable returns to fund long-term care and social programmes for orphans

Awqaf Abu Dhabi said the partnership aligns with a broader strategy to develop endowment assets in a way that produces sustainable financial returns while supporting social causes. Officials emphasized that the income from the developments is intended to meet the initiative’s long-term objectives and to underpin charity work and social services administered by the authority.

Project accountability measures are built into the plan: the developments will be evaluated using performance and impact metrics to ensure they deliver both financial returns and social benefits, according to the announcement. The model ties land allocation by a public endowment body to private-sector expertise in construction and operation, aiming to create an ongoing revenue stream for beneficiary programmes.

LuLu Group’s involvement, led by executive signatory Ashraf Ali M.A. and voiced by Chairman Yusuff Ali, signals the private sector’s role in delivering on national philanthropic priorities. Officials framed the agreement as a long-term funding mechanism for the Mother of the Nation Endowment for Orphans and a means to secure predictable resources for the welfare of minors supported by Awqaf Abu Dhabi.