The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF) has officially inaugurated the 2026-2027 edition of its flagship initiative, “Educate the Heart.” This year, the programme brings together more than 12,000 students across 47 schools in Sharjah for a year-long campaign dedicated to humanitarian and educational support. The collective effort aims to provide essential funding for the rehabilitation and modernization of the Nagaa Said Basic Education School located in Dishna, Qena, Egypt.
Launched in 2022 by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Chairperson of The Big Heart Foundation, the initiative seeks to integrate humanitarian values into the student experience. By participating in school-led fundraising and awareness campaigns, students are given a practical, hands-on role in social responsibility. Since its inception, the programme has engaged over 30,000 participants in activities that bridge the gap between classroom learning and global citizenship.
The current project, which will be executed in collaboration with the Misr El Kheir Foundation, is designed to benefit approximately 750 Egyptian pupils. The planned upgrades focus on improving physical infrastructure, refining classrooms, providing educational materials, and supporting staff development. These improvements are intended to create a safer, more inclusive learning environment that fosters higher enrollment and attendance rates, with a particular focus on keeping girls in the education system. Improve learning outcomes and encourage more children, particularly girls, to remain in education, it also aims to strengthen enrolment and attendance.
During an orientation event held at the Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SPARK), roughly 80 students and faculty members gathered to begin the journey. Unlike previous iterations, this year’s programme aligns all 47 participating schools toward a single shared objective, emphasizing the power of unified action to drive meaningful change. Throughout the academic term, students will organize charity markets, art campaigns, and storytelling events to reach their fundraising goals.
Mariam Al Hammadi, an Advisory Board Member at TBHF, emphasized the broader educational impact of the project. She noted that schools serve as vital spaces where young people learn the importance of collaboration and social duty. According to Al Hammadi, the ultimate goal of the initiative is to make empathy and contribution a fundamental part of a student’s character, teaching them that their efforts can translate into long-term improvements for communities in need. The responsibilities they carry towards others and the contribution they are capable of making, it also shapes how young people understand their place within society. Take responsibility and work towards a shared purpose, schools are among the first environments in which young people learn what it means to collaborate.
The impact of these efforts will be formally recognized at the end of the academic year through the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Heart Awards. These honors celebrate the schools that demonstrate the most significant commitment to the cause. The institution winning the Gold Heart Award will receive a trophy, a certificate, and extensive media visibility through TBHF platforms.
Beyond local recognition, the winners of the Gold Heart Award will be invited to participate in a fully funded humanitarian trip to Qena, Egypt. This journey will allow students to visit the Nagaa Said Basic Education School, engage directly with their peers, and witness the tangible results of their year-long fundraising activities. This final stage is designed to complete the educational cycle by connecting the students’ Sharjah-based initiatives with the real-world impact they have helped create. The final technical scope is currently being completed.
