The Endowments and Minors’ Funds Authority – Awqaf Abu Dhabi has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with MAIR Group PJSC (ADX: MAIR) (“MAIR” or the “Group”), a strategic investment company focused on grocery retail and commercial real estate in the UAE, to implement a portfolio of development projects valued at AED 200 million on Awqaf Abu Dhabi endowment land. The initiative supports the “Mother of the Nation Endowment for Orphans” campaign by strengthening sustainable endowment returns dedicated to the care and wellbeing of orphans in the UAE.
The agreement forms part of Awqaf Abu Dhabi’s ongoing efforts to strengthen partnerships with the private sector and develop a modern investment model for endowment assets, transforming them into sustainable sources of funding that support long-term social and humanitarian initiatives.
Under the terms of the MoU, Awqaf Abu Dhabi will allocate the endowed land required for the projects, while Mair Group, through its real estate arm “Makani Real Estate,” will oversee the development, management, and implementation of the projects in line with best investment and operational practices, ensuring stable and sustainable returns that contribute to the initiative’s objectives and enhance the quality of life of orphans.
The partnership is part of the “Mother of the Nation Endowment for Orphans” campaign launched by Awqaf Abu Dhabi under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, with the aim of establishing a sustainable endowment funding source to support orphan care programmes and strengthen their social and economic stability.
H.E. Fahd Abdulqader Al Qassim, Director General of the Endowments and Minors’ Funds Authority – Awqaf Abu Dhabi, said: “This agreement represents an advanced model for leveraging endowment assets within a sustainable investment framework that enhances their efficiency and multiplies their social and economic impact. Through these strategic partnerships with the private sector, we aim to transform endowment assets into sustainable development drivers capable of generating long-term returns that support priority social initiatives.”
He added: “The development of projects on endowed land aligns with the Authority’s strategic direction to build a modern endowment ecosystem grounded in strong governance and institutional investment, ensuring the preservation and growth of assets while maximising their impact across generations.”
In this context, Nehayan Hamad Alameri, Managing Director and Group CEO of MAIR Group, reaffirmed the Group’s commitment to delivering high-quality development projects in line with advanced operational standards, helping generate stable and sustainable returns that support endowment objectives and strengthen the private sector’s contribution to national initiatives with meaningful social impact.
He added: “At MAIR Group, we believe in the importance of partnerships with national entities to support initiatives that deliver sustainable social impact. Through these projects, we look forward to contributing to the development of endowment assets with both economic and social value, ensuring long-term returns that support the ‘Mother of the Nation Endowment for Orphans’ campaign and enhance the quality of life of orphans.”
Through this model, Awqaf Abu Dhabi continues to advance the development of the endowment ecosystem in the Emirate through strategic partnerships that maximise the financial and social impact of endowment assets, reinforcing the role of endowments as a sustainable development tool that supports national priorities and aligns with the UAE’s vision for comprehensive development.