Year of Giving: 17 ways to give your best in the UAE

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Courtesy Majid Al Futtaim

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Pawan Singh / The National

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Courtesy Dubai Cares

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As decreed by Sheikh Khalifa, President of the UAE, the aim of the 2017 Year of Giving initiative is to foster and strengthen a sense of social responsibility across the public and private sectors, in addition to developing the spirit of volunteering and serving the nation by involving Emiratis and expats. While the concept of giving seems straightforward, it can be confusing to decide where to start. Fret no more, as Anna Seaman suggests 17 ways to be a part of the movement, with activities you can do yourself or as part of a group.

Give care

Senses is a care home in Dubai for children and young adults with severe physical and learning difficulties. Many of them are in need of 24-hour nursing care, so volunteers are always needed and appreciated. You can register with the centre online or by visiting, and you will be able to help out by playing with the children, feeding them, ironing clothes or accompanying the youngsters on a field trip. You can also sponsor a child directly by way of financial commitment.

Give blood

There are several places across the UAE where you can donate blood – at hospitals and also in mobile centres. One in three people will require a transfusion of blood or blood products at least once in their life, but only one in 30 people donate. Blood cannot be manufactured, so the only source is through generous donations. A pint of blood can save up to three lives – and donating is good for the donor’s health, too, as it lowers the risk of heart disease, cleanses your blood and burns calories.

Give toys

Launched during the festive period by Majid Al Futtaim group, which owns a number of malls in the region, Give Great Moments is a campaign to help underprivileged children through the gift of toys. Large donation boxes have been placed in malls and organisers are asking for specific toys that will be sent through charitable organisations to needy children in Egypt, Lebanon and Oman.

Give a smile

Operation Smile, which works to help children with facial deformities all over the world, is always looking for helping hands, particularly with fundraising events. It is worthwhile approaching the organisation to see what you can do to help – you just might meet some fun and outgoing people while you’re at it. The charity is always looking for more donations and volunteers.

Give a stray a home

There are plenty of passionate animal activists in Abu Dhabi and Dubai who are always looking for help with stray and abandoned animals. You can become a temporary foster carer or offer a permanent home – there are always furry friends who need help. Organisations include Sandy Paws, Feline Friends, Animal Action Abu Dhabi, Wags and Purrs, Sniff, and Animal Welfare Abu Dhabi. The Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter and Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital are always looking for people to adopt animals.

Give books

The Book Shelter, based at Maraya Art Centre in Sharjah, is an initiative that focuses on making books accessible to the public free of charge. The Book Shelter, which sources publications from the community, is like a public library where you are not required to return the books. In Dubai, you can donate used books to the House of Prose, which has branches in Times Square Mall and Jumeirah Plaza. In Abu Dhabi, Café Arabia, on 15th Street, off Airport Road, accepts second-hand books.

Give organs

In September last year, an organ-transplant law was passed in the UAE, which will take effect nationwide in March. It means that even while living, someone can help a patient by donating an organ, such as a kidney, or part of an organ, such as a lobe of liver or a lung. Skin and bone marrow can also be transplanted. Visit Cleveland Clinic’s website for more details.

Give clothes

Rather than saving all the stuff you know you will never wear again, consider donating your old clothes at one of the many clothing banks across the UAE. All clothes and shoes dropped off in the banks are sent to the Emirates Red Crescent, where they are sorted and delivered to those in need. Clothes should be in good condition and clean. Any deemed unfit to be given away are sent to factories for resale. Those that require only cleaning are sent to the laundry.

Give water

Most vital and relevant during the hot summer months, The Sameness Project has an initiative called Water for Workers, which is pretty simple. It involves buying bottles of cold water and distributing them among labourers as the temperature rises. You can do it as a group or simply pick up an extra bottle or two in the morning and keep them in your car to give to street sweepers as you drive to work.

Give food

To mark the Year of Giving, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has announced a new food bank has been created to work with authorities and charities to collect excess food from hotels, supermarkets, restaurants and farms. It will operate under the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives foundation. Everyone can also do their bit through the Sharing Fridges initiative, as part of which residents have installed fridges across the UAE, where you can place any leftover food for those in need.

Give skills

Wepul, a community website, is designed to help people share their skills with fellow UAE residents in exchange for theirs. Built on the principle, “you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours”, all you need to do is register on Wepul by listing something you are willing to contribute – helping someone to learn to play the guitar, for example, or cook Indian food or play tennis. Then browse the favours other people are offering, and see if you can find a good exchange.

Give support

If you have ever had to spend time in hospital, you know how precious it is to have visitors. Not everyone in the UAE has friends and family who can give up their time to visit. So why not sign up for Seha’s hospital-volunteer programme? You can raise a patient’s spirits through non-medical support by talking to them, reading them books and magazines, playing a musical instrument or teaching a new skill.

Give help

By getting involved with Dubai Cares, a philanthropic initiative that focuses on providing education and basic care for underprivileged children in the region and around the world, there are many ways to help others. You can volunteer to help directly with the many international projects listed on the website or, if you want to stay closer to home, you can be part of awareness and fundraising initiatives such as the annual Walk for Education or the Ramadan Campaign.

Give way

We all know that roads can be hazardous for drivers and pedestrians. It would help us all if people were more willing to give way behind the wheel – by being more patient at junctions or by leaving more space between your vehicle and the one in front. Last year, Dubai Police launched a campaign to ensure that motorists move out of the way when they see emergency vehicles coming, especially ambulances. This is a matter of life and death, and is a very easy way to help another person.

Give someone a chance

Stepping into the world of professional work can be a daunting task, and all of us need to be given a chance at the beginning of our careers to progress. This is where internships are invaluable. If you are able, why not employ someone as an intern this year? Finding the right candidate can be tricky, but there are websites that do the filtering.

Give hair

For cancer patients, losing hair is a traumatic experience. Survivors in the UAE are urging people to donate their hair to help make wigs. Hair for Hope, a campaign founded by Dubai resident Premi Mathew, uses human hair to make realistic and comfortable wigs that give patients a sense of normality. Men and women can donate hair to Friends of Cancer Patients or by contacting Hair for Hope at [e-mail].

Give time

Through the Emirates Foundation in Abu Dhabi, you can volunteer for a variety of social causes supported by the Takatof Programme. It also offers an accredited volunteer-training programme, the Takatof Volunteer Essentials Certificate, which is taught in eight modules. Specifically aimed at young people, the programme offers learning opportunities, and also the chance to get involved in environmental projects and renovation of community centres. With time, you can also train to be a mentor for other young people needing guidance.