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Despite their own sharply deteriorating living conditions, the people of Tunisia have given generously to a campaign calling for donations for Palestinians struggling amid the war in Gaza.
Thousands of volunteers have joined the ranks of the Tunisian Red Crescent since the humanitarian organisation appealed for funds for Gaza, where more than 6,500 Palestinians have been killed and one million displaced, with no end in sight to Israel's aerial bombardment.
About 2.3 million people live in the small coastal enclave, one of the world's most densely populated areas.
Tunisia's Ministry of Transport has also offered its services for the humanitarian operation.
Bouthayna Greguba, spokeswoman for the Tunisian Red Crescent, told The National the donation campaign's level of reach and solidarity is unmatched.
“We have been overwhelmed by the level of humanitarian solidarity, it is true that Tunisians have always been committed to lending a hand whenever needed but this level is unprecedented,” she said.
With more than 5,000 volunteers across the country, 264 local committees and 24 regional ones, the Tunisian Red Crescent has been working round the clock to keep the campaign going since its launch on October 9.
Many volunteers have even taken leave of absence from school or work, with some spending their nights at Red Crescent premises to maintain a steady workflow, Ms Greguba told The National at the charity’s headquarters in Megrine.
She said Tunisians from all backgrounds have reached out to them to offer help.
“An elderly man came by foot from Fouchana to Megrine [19km] to donate a sum of money that he has been saving up to go on Umrah. He came by foot because he did not want to deduct the taxi fare from those 2,000 dinars [$633] he had saved up but wanted to donate to Palestinians,” she told The National.
Ms Greguba said people unable to give money or donations had come to the headquarters to help organise donations into categories such as food and medicine.
She said she was touched by many stories from Tunisian donors but one in particular stood out.
A woman who collects plastic bottles for a living came to one of their tents in downtown Habib Bourguiba Avenue and donated her entire income for the day.
“What was even more heart-warming than her willingness to donate her day's income was that she did not want to write her name as a donor and gave that money anonymously,” Ms Greguba said.
From the elderly to children, Tunisia’s heart is with Gazans
For 74-year-old Mohamed Tahri Mkaddmi, neither his age nor the 33km between his house and the charity’s central donations depot stopped him from delivering a package of vital medicine to the cause.
His journey involved three different modes of transport.
“For us, the Palestinian cause is purely Tunisian, it is not just any cause," ,” Mr Mkaddmi told The National. "Since I was young I have been surrounded by family members who took part in Tunisia's liberation movement against the French and who then joined the Palestinian resistance in 1948.
“I am heart-broken that I cannot do anything, I feel that my hands are tied up while our brothers are getting brutally bombed every day,” he said, as he burst into tears.
“For me, Gaza has won. No matter how much the occupation does to them, they will never leave their land and we are here to fight for them, even as the world commits a collective crime by keeping silent."
The Palestinian cause lives with us and is something that we have been raised to support
Ali,
Tunisian donor
Ali, 60, who spoke under a pseudonym as he wished to remain anonymous, spoke to The National on his second visit to the Red Crescent headquarters to make a donation.
“I told my children that I had made a donation yesterday, so they collected their and their friends’ pocket money and told me to give it on their behalf,” he said.
Like many Tunisians who were raised supporting Palestinians, witnessing the Gaza war and the plight of Palestinians has deep emotional resonance with Ali.
“The Palestinian cause lives with us and is something that we have been raised to support,” he said. "In such a situation, I can’t just keep my hands crossed, this [donating] is the least we could do.
“They [Palestinians] have given us many lessons, I cannot even describe the amount of heartache we feel for them, I am at a loss of words,” Ali told The National.
At the Red Crescent depot in Megrine, a group of 20 primary school pupils came in person with their teachers to donate money, food, blankets and other items they have been collecting for the past two weeks.
“We told our parents that we would give up midday snacks and give our daily pocket money to the Red Crescent instead,” 12-year-old Sami told The National as the schoolchildren met Tunisian Red Crescent’s volunteers.
Walid Ben Massoud, their teacher, said the idea came from the pupil themselves.
“We brought them here today to see how volunteering work," he said. "The donations campaign is still ongoing and both the Red Crescent and the [pupils’] parents are happy to help."
Tunisia has already sent one plane loaded with 12 tonnes of humanitarian aid, which reached Gaza following the opening of the Rafah border crossing last week.
On social media, a surge of campaigns has been launched by celebrities, influencers, labour unions, student groups, schools and even mobile service providers, all raising funds for the people of Gaza.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The biog
Hobby: Playing piano and drawing patterns
Best book: Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins
Food of choice: Sushi
Favourite colour: Orange
