David Skinner, Managing Director of DGS Marine Group, presents DGS’s Marine’s donation to Richard Crow, CEO of the AMAR Foundation, at the DGS Marine Master’s Cup 2015 cricket tournament.
US$100, 000 donation to support AMAR’s work in Iraq and Lebanon.
DGS Marine, a leading provider of maritime insurance services, has made a significant donation to support the work of the AMAR Foundation, an international charity that assists people and communities affected by conflict and civil disorder.
This is the third substantial contribution to the AMAR Foundation in the past 18 months from DGS Marine Group, a leading global P&I (protection and indemnity) provider and one of the fastest growing companies in the fixed premium P&I market. DGS Marine’s ongoing support for AMAR is testament to its belief in the importance and effectiveness of the Foundation’s work. DGS Marine also believes that the international shipping industry has an important role to play in supporting initiatives that address the challenges faced by disadvantaged communities and in troubled regions around the globe.
Founded in 1991, AMAR aims to build and improve upon the lives of some of the world’s most disadvantaged people. For almost a quarter of a century it has provided health, education, training and humanitarian assistance to populations and communities affected by conflict and civil disorder. Overseen by a team of 12 London-based staff, AMAR employs local people and also sources goods locally to ensure that donors’ money is used most efficiently, while also helping to build capacity and support local economies.
David Skinner, Managing Director of DGS Marine, said:
“At DGS, we believe that the simplest strategies can be the most effective. The support that AMAR provides in health and education is an invaluable anchor for communities that have few other resources. Dependable healthcare and good schools for children and adult learners creates a more optimistic and less conflict-prone atmosphere at the heart of a community. We hope that through our donation of US$100, 000, we can help AMAR to extend its vital work even further. To offer just one example, there are one million widows in Iraq, many of whom are struggling to support their families. With the vocational courses offered by AMAR, they can take back control of their lives and provide for their families.
“DGS Marine Group does business all over the world, including a strong presence in the Middle East, and we believe that every business has a duty to fulfill its corporate social responsibility in those regions where it operates, including those in the international shipping industry. We hope that our support for AMAR’s essential work can play a small part in supporting the betterment of the region and we look forward to developing our relationship with AMAR in the future.”
Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne is the Executive Chairman of AMAR. In response to DGS Marine’s donation, she commented:
“In 2013 and 2014 DGS Marine Group made substantial contributions to AMAR and we offer DGS Marine heartfelt gratitude for this additional gift, which really came out of the blue — in this case, the deep, blue ocean! DGS Marine’s generosity will enable us to sustain AMAR’s work with displaced families throughout Iraq, specifically supporting thousands of people with access to otherwise non-existent healthcare and training centres.
“Your support has made all the difference in saving lives and giving hope to so many injured and traumatised victims in Iraq, providing them with the possibility of truly rebuilding their lives and seeing beyond the refugee camps and the injuries they have suffered. All of us at AMAR are truly grateful and we cannot thank you enough!”
The Foundation, whose patron is His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, has helped to ensure that even people in politically unstable countries are seen by doctors and are able to acquire vital vaccinations; delivering the kind of preventative care which stops epidemics in their tracks and gives communities a healthy foundation on which to build. Alongside its health programs, AMAR also provides educational programs which offer supplementary learning in primary and secondary schools. These classes include basic education in health, human rights and democracy, as well as vocational courses in Information Technology, English language, and business skills.
AMAR’s facilities are located throughout the Middle East in areas that have suffered greatly in recent conflicts and have few other shared institutions for providing vital public services. The current focus of the Foundation’s activities is in Iraq and Lebanon.
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