For Mum’s facing homelessness and hopelessness in the eyes of their children, and then to not be able to help them… the sense of despair that must come is almost unimaginable for most of us. It must be so overwhelming and absolutely heart-breaking.
Yet, sometimes, change and hope does come – and sometimes in the most beautiful and touching ways.
In 2024, hugely talented, compassion-filled and inspired students from across seven of GEMS Education Schools joined together with educators, their families – and a global audience, to help these Children and Mums, all through the wonders of the Performing Arts and release of a chart-topping, wonder and hope-filled music single, The Climb – see below.
The result?
Together GEMS Education students and families made real the power of education to change the world, creating bridges between continents and people in ways that are rare and to be cherished when they do, so wonderfully, happen.
Today, hundreds of children and their Mothers will wake up to new lives filled to bursting with hope, education, food, clothing, medicine, a future “and, more than anything else, love and care.”
There is nothing as powerful or important as education – and giving that gift to others changes lives and multiplies hope.
And, as if that was not enough, the extraordinary charity at the centre of the initiative, Harmony House, with the funds raised by GEMS Education schools, educators, students and their families, through the release of The Climb single and a plethora of other fundraising activities, open a fifth centre in India to help even more generations of Mums and Children in need to come.
The single itself will now always be available on iTunes, raising funds and hope in perpetuity. Please order it here.
You can also make a direct contribution to Harmony House through Dubai Cares here: GEMS Wellington Charity Single for Harmony House | Dubai Cares Crowdfunding.
The charity single, performed by over 200 GEMS performing arts students, last month debuted at the top of the UK and UAE download charts, bursting with talent and TLC from students at the following schools:
GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis
GEMS Wellington Academy – Al Khail
GEMS Wellington International School
GEMS Wellington School – Qatar
Top Schools Award-winning GEMS Jumeirah Primary School – Best in the Emirates 2024
Pictured: Lucy Bruce, Founder of Harmony House India which opened for the first time in 2009. With the TLC and support of GEMS Education and its Wellington and Jumeirah schools, Harmony House will now open its fifth centre to create beautiful futures for deprived children and their mums in India.
Lucy Bruce, Founder and CEO of Harmony House, guest of honour at the recent GEMS Wellington Performing Arts Gala held at GEMS Wellington Academy – Silicon Oasis (WSO) in Dubai, said there:
“We started Harmony House with just 12 children 14 years ago, and today we have 1,000 children who are gaining the education they need to finally break free from the cycle of poverty that they were born into. It lifts not only them out of poverty, but their entire family and eventually their community as well.
“With the funding from this incredible project, we will be opening another centre, which will allow a further 200 children to join Harmony House to have the hope of a better future and break away from the poverty cycle.
“Thank you to everyone who has contributed. Thank you to Dubai Cares and to each and every one of you for digging deep and giving these children the life that they so deserve. Every one of our children is so grateful to you and these great performers.”
Jodie Quirke, Wellington Director of Performing Arts, GEMS Education, responded:
“Every student involved in the GEMS Wellington Charity Single initiative will remember this for the rest of their lives.
“They have recorded and sung with leading music industry professionals and coaches, they sang and danced in a high-quality music video, and some have even performed live on TV and radio for the first time ever.
“But, most importantly, they have made a real impact on the lives of less fortunate children.
“This initiative shows the enduring power and impact of the Performing Arts on students and the world, and why it is so important to us at GEMS Wellington schools.”
Further information
GEMS Education is one of the oldest and largest K-12 private education providers in the world. The Group educates 170,000+ students from over 176 countries through its owned and managed schools globally. Through its network and charitable contributions it is fulfilling the GEMS vision of putting a quality education within the reach of every learner. As a company founded in the UAE in 1959, it holds an unparalleled track record of providing diverse curricula and educational choices to children and families of all socio-economic means. The school group is deeply committed to families – more here.
Learn about the Centre of Excellence for The Performing Arts at GEMS Wellington DSO here.
The charity single was produced in partnership with West End Stage Dubai, which also filmed the students in the UAE and Qatar. Visit West End Stage here.
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