Emirates donates 464 special edition bags to support education in Zambia
Handcrafted backpack from the "Aircrafted KIDS by Emirates" collection
Emirates has donated essential supplies and limited-edition, handcrafted backpacks from its “Aircrafted KIDS by Emirates” collection to two non-profit organizations in Zambia in support of education for young people.
Kucetekela Foundation and Alliance for Children Everywhere (ACE) Zambia 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 organizations’ students with their schooling by providing practical, stylish backpacks and stationery. The initiative reinforces the airline’s commitment to “connecting communities” by building enduring relationships and making meaningful differences in the destinations it serves.
“Education, much like travel, broadens the mind and brings immeasurable value to society at large, providing the next generation with the essential tools to build a better future. Celebrating the values we share with ACE Zambia and Kucetekela Foundation, we wanted to support by providing school supplies and a little piece of Emirates’ history, in the form of upcycled backpacks. We have been committed to Zambia since our first flight in 2012, and we remain committed, not just to scaling our operations but to enriching the surrounding communities too,” said Omar Bushlaibi, Country Manager, Zambia, Emirates.
To ensure the organizations received exactly what they needed for every student, Kucetekela Foundation and ACE Zambia placed an order for a variety of bags from the “Aircrafted by Emirates” collection, accounting for children of all ages. The backpacks were then handmade by Emirates Engineering in-house, with materials upcycled from the airline’s A380 and 777 aircraft.
Simasiku Mukena, General Manager at Kucetekela Foundation commented: “Emirates donated a total of 84 bags and the organization is very thrilled. There were a lot of smiles on the kid's faces and we really appreciate the donation. It was a very generous gesture that will profoundly impact our organization.”
In addition to the bags, Emirates provided school supplies such as pens, pencils, erasers, calculators, notebooks and more. The airline also purchased books from local authors via Kulanda House and from Aliness Phiri, which blend culturally rich stories with interactive learning opportunities.
Elarm Chalusa Head Teacher for Jana Secondary School under the Alliance for Children Everywhere said: “We are a very small school, but Emirates brought such a wonderful gift that will go a very long way in the lives of the children. One of the things that we strive for is to improve reading ability and embed reading culture in our children – Emirates brought plenty of literature for our learners, which they are thrilled and excited to read.”
The Emirates team based in Lusaka visited both Kucetekela Foundation and ACE Zambia, to deliver the 464 bags and meet Zambia’s leaders of tomorrow, the February 10 press release said. In addition to the donations made in Zambia, Emirates provided organizations in Zimbabwe and Ethiopia with bags, bringing the total donation to 1,239 in Africa alone, with more to follow in Asia in the coming month.
