Ramadan is inspiring goodwill across the UAE, with the launch of initiatives to harness a sense of community and giving.
Schoolchildren are putting together care packages, companies are sponsoring iftar tents and the government is aiming to save the lives of five million children, some of the many projects at work this holy month.
At the heart of the season of giving, government entities, companies and people are setting aside time and pooling resources to make a difference to people’s lives.
The Emirates Red Crescent said that more than a million and a half people in the UAE and 44 other countries will benefit from food baskets and clothing at a cost of Dh60million.
The Ramadan Continuous Giving initiative will spend about Dh32.5million helping nearly 400,000 vulnerable people and their families in the UAE, said Ahmed Al Mazrouei, ERC secretary general. More than a million people across four continents will receive food, cash aid, and clothes at a cost of Dh27.5 million, he said.
Sponsor meals or tents
The ERC has called on all UAE residents and citizens to “make a real difference” during Ramadan by sponsoring Dh15 meals and companies are urged to support iftar tents for Dh75,000 to provide meals for workers and families.
“Your generosity lights up homes, spreads joy and embodies the spirit of giving without limits,” the ERC has said.
People can chip in to pay for a Dh25 bag of rice, buy clothes for Eid, support a Hajj pilgrimage or purchase Dh10 to Dh500 food baskets stacked with cooking oil and pulses.
The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, in collaboration with the ERC, launched a Ramadan Food Aid Initiative to support 22,900 people.
Saif Al Falahi, Adnoc’s acting head of human resources, said the drive reflected the company’s values of giving and fostered a sense of unity among employees. The initiative is part of a more than 10-year partnership with the ERC.
Life with dignity
One of the largest campaigns was unveiled recently by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to save five million children from hunger.
The 11.5 Edge of Life programme launched at Ramadan will support children in countries that are reeling from the impact of natural disasters and deadly conflicts.
“There is no better way to welcome the holy month of Ramadan than by standing in solidarity with humanity, saving lives and ensuring that those in need can live with dignity,” Sheikh Mohammed said. “This year, we launch the Edge of Life campaign to rescue five million children around the world from hunger. Every good act represents a source of power and blessing at once.”
Edge of Life was launched in partnership with Unicef, Save the Children, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and Action Against Hunger.
Many of the initiatives are part of the generous spirit of UAE entities reaching out to help the less fortunate.
Dubai Cares, part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has launched a programme to provide healthy and eco-friendly meals in schools in Africa.
Feed a Child, Build a Kitchen aims to feed children so they do not learn on an empty stomach.
The campaign will start in Kenya and expand across sub-Saharan Africa. Its focus is on constructing community kitchens that provide daily meals to pupils in partnership with Food4Education in Kenya.
Tariq Al Gurg, Dubai Cares chief executive, said pupils' health and nutrition were the pillars to strengthen the education system, adding that the partnerships also support farmers and create jobs.
The first phase would provide 76,000 meals every year to about 400 children at 21 rural schools in Kenya where the programme will create more than 160 local jobs.
Bring learning to life
It's not just government organisations launching Ramadan campaigns, pupils in a Dubai school have joined in the effort.
The Ranches Primary School, in Dubai, held a Ramadan souq to distribute more than 1,100 care bags to community workers. In its fifth year, the souq brings together pupils and parents to fill bags with food and hygiene products and distributes them to workers including gardeners, security staff, maintenance teams and cleaners.
“The Ramadan souq is proudly a celebration of the UAE’s culture and values, while also bringing learning to life for our pupils,” said Steve Arnold, principal of Ranches Primary School.
He said it was important for children to “celebrate and learn from the culture of the country they call home, understand the value of giving back and see the impact of their efforts first-hand.”
The British curriculum school’s library was turned into a souq where pupils learn about the importance of giving, the meaning of Ramadan, while parents read stories about generosity and children pack the bags.
“We make sure everyone is cared for and everyone feels part of the community,” said Archie, a pupil.
Taxi company Careem launched Seeds for Gaza, a community-led donation drive during Ramadan to support rebuilding efforts in the enclave.
Customers can make donations on the Careem app that will be used to provide relief to Gazans through trusted partners. The company said that direct donations, funds from buying T-shirts, symbolic watermelons on the Careem Quik app or by restaurant orders on Careem Food will go towards relief for Gaza.
More than 100 restaurants will also allocate a portion of the orders they receive to the cause.
“We believe that when people are given a simple way to help, they will, and together, those contributions can make a real difference,” said Mudassir Sheikha, chief executive of Careem. “Seeds For Gaza comes from a deep sense of responsibility towards the people of our region.”
The company had also matched tips of Dh10 or more to double the amount received by delivery riders across the UAE for two days ending Thursday. The matching tips initiative aimed to ensure the taxi drivers and delivery riders directly benefited to honour the Ramadan spirit, Careem said.
