Celebrate the spirit of giving during Ramadan by contributing to charities and not-for-profit organisations that work to help people around the world. We highlight a worthy cause for each day of the month.
UNHCR – the UN Refugee Agency
In the past five years, 15 conflicts have forced millions of people out of their homes and countries. UNHCR is responding to the escalating refugee crisis by intensifying its relief work in Yemen, Iraq, Central African Republic and South Sudan. Donations to the agency help provide life-saving aid to refugee children and their families.
• Visit donate.unhcr.org; email care@unhcr.org
Islamic Relief Worldwide
Islamic Relief Worldwide has been providing basic amenities for the poor in more than 40 countries around the globe for 32 years. The not-for-profit organisation is inspired by Islamic faith and values, encouraging the fortunate to help the less privileged. They protect communities from disasters and provide emergency aid.
• Visit www.islamic-relief.org; email irw@irworldwide.org
Shukran Workers
This group of long-time Dubai residents organise welfare drives for construction workers as a way to give back to the community. The programmes include asking residents to personally deliver care packets to labourers and taking maids and housekeepers out for movie nights.
• Shukran Workers are on Facebook; email prakulakhwani@gmail.com
Kind Gestures
A social group of volunteers in Dubai, Kind Gestures has raised money for projects in the UAE, India, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti and Pakistan. They do not associate themselves with any particular cause but respond to emergency situations, as well as the long-term education and training of children with special needs all over the world.
• Visit www.chfdubai.org; email kindgestures1@gmail.com
Adopt-a-Camp
Volunteers from this not-for-profit organisation have been helping workers in more than 53 labour camps across the country to enrich their lives with basic care packages, English lessons, hygiene workshops and dental treatments for the past 10 years. Adopt-a-Camp also organises iftars every year.
• Adopt-a-Camp is on Facebook; email info@adoptacamp.org
Norwegian Refugee Council
This independent non-profit organisation promotes and protects the rights of refugees and people who have been displaced within their own countries. Their 5,000-strong staff work in 28 countries overseeing rehabilitation projects.
• Visit www.nrc.no; call 001 47 90 56 2329
Care Foundation
A Pakistan-based non-profit organisation, Care Foundation has been funding primary and secondary-school education for underprivileged children since 1988. It now runs 352 schools with 180,000 students.
• Visit www.carepakistan.org; email sehramjad@yahoo.com
Child Rights and You
This NGO in India and its 200 partners around the world work with parents and communities to provide better living and education opportunities to more than 2 million underprivileged children in 23 Indian states.
• Visit www.cry.org; email ic.del@crymail.org
Dubai Cares
An international organisation launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, in 2007. It has multiple projects aimed at promoting primary-school education and gender equality in developing countries, and is involved in building schools, teacher training and improving water, sanitation and hygiene in the communities.
• Visit www.dubaicares.ae; call 04 450 4550
Ewa’a Shelters for Women and Children
The shelter was established to combat human trafficking and provide refuge to victims. It works with local and international organisations to provide relief and rehabilitation for women and children, and operates a hotline to involve the public in its work.
• Visit www.shwc.ae; call 800 7283
Doctors Without Borders
This NGO is one of the biggest independent organisations for medical humanitarian aid. Its 30,000 field staff provide assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from healthcare and natural disasters.
• Visit www.msf-me.org; call 04 4579255
Noor Dubai
This initiative, launched in 2008 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, was a response to World Health Organisation statistics that reveal that one person in the world goes blind every five seconds because they have no access to treatment. Noor Dubai works on a threefold programme to prevent, treat and educate people about eye diseases, delivering free care all over the world.
• Visit www.noordubai.ae; email contact@noordubai.ae; call 800 633
The [sameness] project
This Dubai-based social group connects unskilled workers with the professional workforce and develops programmes for more interaction. Its projects include distribution of water on construction sites, providing fitness classes to taxi drivers and creating collaboration opportunities for mainstream school pupils and children with special needs.
• Visit www.thesamenessproject.com; www.facebook.com/thesamenessproject
All 4 Down Syndrome Dubai
This voluntary support group is made up of parents of children with Down syndrome and medical and education professionals. The group helps to raise awareness of the condition, provides counselling to families and training opportunities for teachers to help promote better integration in schools.
• Visit www.all4downsyndrome.com; email info@all4downsyndrome.com
Humanity First Middle East
This charitable organisation organises international and local fund-raising events and programmes to help disadvantaged people all over the world and raise awareness about cancer, autism and environmental issues.
• Visit me.humanityfirst.org; email info@me.humanityfirst.org
American Refugee Committee
An international non-profit organisation that has provided humanitarian assistance and training for 35 years, ARC works with refugee communities in 11 countries, helping people to regain control of their lives. It provides shelter, clean water and sanitation, healthcare, skills training, education and protection.
• Visit www.arcrelief.org; email info@archq.org
Helping Little Angels
This organisation undertakes rehabilitation projects in Pakistan, supporting education for young girls and orphans, providing water pumps, distributing books and setting up Quran-learning centres.
• Visit www.helpinglittleangels.org.uk; email info@helpinglittleangels.org.uk
Maria Cristina Foundation
Former flight attendant Maria Conceicao launched the foundation in 2005 after witnessing extreme poverty during one of her trips to Bangladesh. Since then, the foundation has tried to aid the educational goals of children in Dhaka slums and invites donors to sponsor a child or support a family.
• Visit mariacristinafoundation.org; call 04 386 0087
Emirates Wildlife Society
In association with the World Wide Fund for Nature, EWS raises awareness about the UAE’s ecological footprint and the need to protect biodiversity, while also contributing to a policy framework that addresses environmental issues. It runs community projects and educational programmes with volunteers year-round to encourage an eco-friendly lifestyle.
• Visit uae.panda.org; call 02 634 7117
Emirates Red Crescent
The UAE chapter is a registered member of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and assists in relief work around the world. With the help of volunteers and financial support from the government and philanthropists, it spreads health awareness, rescues people from disasters, establishes projects for the needy and orphans and educates about international humanitarian law.
• Visit www.rcuae.ae; call 800733
Operation Smile
The UAE chapter of Operation Smile, an international charity set up in 1982, funds surgery and post-operative care for children with clefts. It has provided more than 200,000 free operations to children and young adults around the world. In the UAE, it holds fund-raising and awareness events and runs a volunteer programme.
• Visit arabemirates.operationsmile.org; email info@operationsmileuae.ae
Abu Dhabi Cause Connect
This group of volunteers is always looking for more people to join and help organise fund-raising activities in Abu Dhabi. It works with non-profit groups, charities, community groups and businesses to spread the word and raise awareness through social-media campaigns.
• Visit www.facebook.com/AbuDhabiCauseConnect; email AbuDhabiCauseConnect@gmail.com
Scottish St Andrews Society of Abu Dhabi
The organisation fosters links between Scottish residents in the capital and other nationalities. It also organises events to raise money for selected charities. This year the society is supporting the UAE-based Louis Smith Foundation, which supports teenagers suffering from depression, and Alzheimer Scotland, an organisation that backs and influences public policy for the benefit of people with dementia in Scotland.
• Visit www.adscots.com
Al Rahma Animal Welfare Society
This volunteer group aims to raise awareness about the humane treatment of animals. Its programmes include a project to reduce the number of homeless, feral animals on the streets through sterilisation and the provision of shelters for abandoned pets.
• Al Rahma Animal Welfare Society is on Facebook
Feline Friends Abu Dhabi
Feline Friends is a non-profit organisation that rescues and rehomes strays and provides help for sick and injured cats and kittens, while also running a sterilisation programme.
• Visit www.felinefriendsabudhabi.com; call 050 608 5738
Abu Dhabi Animal Shelter
This registered non-profit organisation takes in strays, runs a trap-neuter-return programme, provides treatment and finds foster homes and forever homes for abandoned pets.
• Visit www.abudhabianimalshelter.com; email info@abudhabianimalshelter.com
Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services
The organisation, which has branches in Kalba, Khor Fakkan and Al Thaid, runs education, training and rehabilitation centres for individuals with disabilities. It also organises awareness campaigns to promote inclusion in society.
• Visit www.schs.ae; call 06 567 1117
Human Appeal International
HAI was established in 1984 by Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid, Ruler of Ajman, to aid underprivileged societies worldwide. Its donations and volunteers help to develop educational, health and social opportunities for the needy, contribute to relief operations and provide care for orphans.
• Visit www.hai.ae; call 06 747 1777
Dar Al Ber Society
This charity has been providing humanitarian aid in the UAE and worldwide since 1978. It is involved in education and medical programmes at home and abroad, building mosques and funding infrastructure projects in the community. It has branches in Dubai, Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah.
• Visit www.daralber.ae; call 07 236 4071
Sharjah Charity International
This charity collects zakat and sponsors orphans, widows and the poor, and helps to build schools, mosques and clinics in the UAE and the wider Middle East, East Africa and Asia.
• Visit www.shjc.sharjah.ae; call 06 566 4111
aahmed@thenational.ae
