ABU DHABI // The spirit of Ramadan was alive and well on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche last night, as a member of the Ajman Royal Family helped to hand out iftar packages to drivers.
Dr Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al Nuaimi, chief executive of Al Ihsan Charity Association was there to spread the message that Ramadan was not an excuse for dangerous driving.
“I’m very pleased with the work that I’ve witnessed in Abu Dhabi today,” said Dr Sheikh Al Nuaimi, who is also environmental adviser to the Ajman Government.
“This benevolent spirit and work ethic is what we try to instil in the souls of our volunteers and they’re doing a wonderful job.”
Dr Sheikh Al Nuaimi joined volunteers as they stood at the Hilton intersection, occasionally reminding younger volunteers to abide by the rules of the campaign as they walked between cars handing out food. The boxes included dates, water and a pie.
The fourth Ramadan Aman campaign has distributed iftar packages to motorists across the capital, to discourage them from speeding as they rush home to break their fast.
So far, more than 15,000 food packs have been distributed at various intersections across the country.
The campaign is carried out in cooperation with police in all emirates and has about 1,000 volunteers.
Othman Al Menhali, 25, who works at the Statistics Centre Abu Dhabi, has volunteered with Aman since its launch.
“This is my fourth year volunteering and I couldn’t be more proud of the work that I do. It does get hot and steamy but the words of gratitude you get from people on the road makes it all worth it. Knowing that you are spreading joy is a wonderful feeling.”
Mr Al Menhali has nine siblings, six of whom are also volunteers with the campaign. It is, he says, a family affair.
“My parents are volunteering with us tomorrow, and most of my siblings do. We do get together for iftar as a family but we’re a family that eats together and volunteers together.”
Initially launched by Al Ihsan in 2012, as the campaign expanded it gained support from Emirates Red Crescent, The National Emergency Response Volunteer Programme – Sanid, UAE Nashama Volunteers, the Community Development Authority, and Social Bandage.
At the start, meals were distributed in Ajman, Sharjah and Dubai.
Three years on, volunteers can be seen at main intersections and congested roads in all seven emirates. Volunteers have also visited Al Ain, the Western Region and Hatta, which borders Oman.
Leaflets are also included in the boxes, reminding drivers of the importance of avoiding speeding and abiding by traffic rules.
The leaflets also include emotional messages such as: “Before speeding, remember that there is a family waiting for your safe return.”
Brig Eng Hussein Al Harithi, Director of Traffic and Patrols for Abu Dhabi Police, commended the role the campaign has played in spreading awareness to the community.
“Abu Dhabi Police supports this campaign by providing police and security manpower to give volunteers the full support during the daily distribution of iftar meals. Supporting the campaign was also to ensure the dispersion and the coverage all over Abu Dhabi main streets and intersections,” he said.
Ahmed Saad, 39, praised the campaign.
“It’s nice what they do. We can break our fast on our way now with some water and dates. There are a lot of volunteers and cameramen on the road. I hope they pay attention. Speed is common at the iftar rush hour time.”
For details on the Ramadan Aman campaign, visit their twitter page @ramadanaman
nalremeithi@thenational.ae