DUBAI, UAE – September 2026: SmartLife Foundation, a Dubai-based non-profit licensed by the Community
Development Authority CDA, has successfully wrapped up its Cool Bus Shelter – Heat Relief Initiative.
Conducted in collaboration with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs GDRFA and the
CDA, the campaign delivered essential hydration, care, and respite to more than 500 blue-collar workers
during the peak of the UAE summer.
Timed to align with the UAE’s mandatory Midday Break—which restricts outdoor labor between 12:30 PM and
3:00 PM—the initiative transformed local bus shelters into dedicated cooling stations. Workers were provided
with a safe, shaded environment to rest, significantly lowering the health risks associated with extreme
seasonal temperatures.
The campaign received widespread backing from leading corporate partners, including Emirates NBD, Emirates
Islamic Bank, Tristar, The UAE Lottery, Gucci Changemakers, AmiViz, and FTI Consulting. In addition to
contributing funding and heat-relief care packs—complete with hydration kits, cooling essentials, and
refreshments—volunteers from these organizations took to the streets to personally distribute aid and engage
with the workers.
“Ensuring the health, dignity, and wellbeing of our frontline workforce is at the core of our mission,” said a
spokesperson for SmartLife Foundation. “We extend our deepest gratitude to our government partners,
corporate sponsors, and dedicated volunteers whose joint efforts made a tangible difference in the lives of
hundreds of workers this summer.”
About SmartLife Foundation:
SmartLife Foundation is a Dubai-based non-profit organization registered with the Community Development
Authority (CDA) of Dubai. Through targeted programs in education, skills development, healthcare, and
community engagement, SmartLife empowers blue-collar and frontline communities. Supported by
volunteers, corporate entities, and government partners across the UAE, SmartLife’s initiatives actively
contribute toward several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
