Digital campaign goes viral in aid to raise awareness on initiatives local communities can support to make a difference

Dubai, UAE, 30 June 2015 – CAREEM, MENA’s leading app for booking private, chauffeur-driven cars has launched a regional Ramadan CSR campaign across the 18 cities it operates in, actively involving all its employees and avid consumers to support their local communities to make a difference. The campaign, ‘Be CAREEM’, was launched through a captivating video on social media today and will target the region stretching from Morocco to Pakistan, in an attempt to raise awareness of various initiatives its respective communities can support and participate in for the betterment of its people.

“Our business is to connect people,” said Mudassir Sheikha, CAREEM’s co-founder and Managing Director. “Through our technology we provide the solution for people to get to their next destination and now we want to support the communities we operate in, with the means to connect with those in need of their support.”

CAREEM, which means 'to be free in giving or sharing', is focusing its 'Be CAREEM’ campaign on engaging communities to get involved with the campaign and to support initiatives that require urgent aid. Through its social media, CAREEM is asking its followers to share what it means for them to ‘Be CAREEM’ in Ramadan this year with the goal  of creating awareness about initiatives they would like to be addressed in their local community. Furthermore, the campaign is also hoping to share beautiful acts of kindness observed during Ramadan which reflect the concept of being ‘Careem’.

“We want the communities to share their stories and help us make a difference,” added Mudassir. “Through our campaign, we hope to raise awareness about various needs in areas around us and that even the ones we don’t support right now, will receive enough publicity that somebody else might be able to help us, help them. Not just during Ramadan but until the issue is addressed.”

The campaign was launched today on the CAREEM facebook page through a captivating video, produced by local Motion PR agency, emblem, which showcases a conversation between a CAREEM driver and passengers of various nationalities within the Middle East. Each nationality tells the driver what they will be doing during Ramadan, each sharing a heart fulfilling thought of helping somebody. The video concludes with a prompt to share what inspires you to ‘Be Careem’.

“We have selected six initiatives that require our support and we trust that the communities will continue to support it and raise awareness about it for the betterment of all. We humbly ask people to continue to share their stories and use the '#BeCAREEM' hashtag so that we can all inspire each other to make a change,” concluded Mudassir.

Across six countries, CAREEM welcomes everybody to get involved to support the following initiatives:

United Arab Emirates
Supporting #FILLINGTHEBLUES, an initiative started by Moti Roti along with homegrown restaurants and bloggers to provide iftar to laborers working evening shifts, CAREEM employees will be contributing to serving an Iftar to a laborer for every new sign up through its mobile app. Its employees will be actively participating throughout the campaign to share the concept of being ‘Careem’.

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
CAREEM has partnered with BUPA Arabia to collect and give clothes to people in need. Clean unused clothes can reach those in need by using the CAREEM 'LATER' booking app. Once booked, a driver will collect the clothes and deliver it to BUPA who will then dispatch it to local charities.

Morocco
CAREEM is joining hands with SOS Children’s Village El Jadida, who offers a home to over 100 children who are unable to continue living with their biological families, to share a nutritious Iftar with its orphans. Every new sign up on its mobile app will contribute to their needs.

Pakistan
Aiding the education of communities, CAREEM will contribute to purchasing books and school materials for orphans upon every new sign up on its mobile booking app. The initiative is partnered with SOS Village Pakistan, an organization that helps integrate orphans in the society.

Egypt
Educate ME, an inspiring organization that helps, has collaborated with CAREEM to provide essential school kits for Egyptian children. For every new sign up on its mobile app will contribute to the donation of new kits.

Lebanon
Partnering with Ajialouna, a Lebanese NGO that addresses issues in the local community, CAREEM will be hosting an Iftar for orphans at Kidzmondo, which is one of the best fun parks for kids in Lebanon. Careem will also be providing the transportation for the orphans of Ajialouna to Kidzmondo for a full day of fun and solidarity.  The event is scheduled on Monday, 29 June.

“The community has played a vital role in selecting these initiatives and in connecting us with those who need our help,” added Mudassir. “It is our aim to now raise further awareness about these specific initiatives during the Iftar events and with the help of our followers, provide as much support to them as possible.

Community gatherings will be taking place across the participating countries, to introduce the initiatives to those interested to support and help where possible. To get involved with any of the initiatives, simply get in touch with CAREEM by contacting Antonelio Leone, Global Marketing Director, on antonelio.leone@careem.com.

For more information about CAREEM’s ‘Be CAREEM’ campaign, visit their facebook page www.facebook.com/gocareem and tag #BeCAREEM.