ABU DHABI // The work of Emiratis helping thousands of families at a camp in Jordan for Syrian refugees is being highlighted in a new documentary made by two students at Zayed University.
The volunteers, many of whom have left families and full-time jobs back home, are doing their bit to assist the 10,000 people who live in the camp, run by the UN and Emirates Red Crescent.
The experience had a profound affect on Latifa Al Ruwahi and Khawla Al Khalifi, both 23, and not just because it was the first time they had travelled abroad without their families.
“We wanted to capture the sense of Emirati culture and look at why Emiratis choose to go to these camps and volunteer,” said film and audio production graduate Ms Al Ruwahi. “I was so surprised at how happy and energetic the kids were. They had the biggest effect on us.”
Ms Al Ruwahi said the trip changed her idea of charity and what it meant to help people in need. She said she hoped their film would inspire other Emiratis to take action and volunteer.
“I didn’t think a lot about volunteering but this project made me realise a lot. Usually if I wanted to do something, I’d find a Red Crescent box and donate money, but these volunteers showed me that you can do so much more. You can actually help get people back on their feet, help improve their lives. You can do so much more.”
Ms Al Khalifi was touched by the positive attitude of the refugees she met. “I expected them to be sad but, mashallah, they were saying ‘thank God, we have everything we need’, they were just so optimistic,” she said.
“When I see my family fighting over small things, I say it’s not worth it. When my nephews and nieces fight over things like the iPad, I just think how little the material things matter now.”
Ms Al Khalifi said she now views her life in the UAE with a different perspective. “We live in safety, we have our homes, it was very humbling,” she said. “Even these kids’ futures are not secure. Yes, they have a school, but what about their future? Will they go to university, get jobs? Will they be allowed to stay in Jordan?”
Although the film does not yet have a title, she hopes to inspire a sense of gratitude in those who see it. “You have to be grateful for what you have while you have it, not just when you lose it,” she said.
Alia Yunis, the students’ supervisor, said the project was important to help change perceptions of the UAE. “We want to highlight the important role the UAE plays not only in financial aid but also in manpower, through volunteering. It isn’t just about money, but also about being on the ground to lend a hand.”
mswan@thenational.ae
