Pakistan Association launches annual Ramadan appeal

DUBAI // The Pakistan Association Dubai has launched its annual Ramadan appeal to provide aid packages to hundreds of disadvantaged families in the emirate.

The aid packs contain supplies to last a family of five for a month, and include rice, milk, dates, cooking oil, flour, lentils and sugar, among other items.

The association, or Pad, is appealing to the public to help either through cash donations or businesses donating items.

“We are aiming to hand out 500 care packages, if not more, over Ramadan,” said Faisel Ikram, Pad’s general secretary.

“Ramadan is an important time of year when we think more of others and help those less fortunate than ourselves.”

Last year the association ran a voucher scheme which allowed recipients to go to a Lulu supermarket to collect their aid packages.

“We might run a similar thing this year as well, although it might be with a different supermarket,” said Mr Ikram. “We have a list of about 500 families that we will be helping, although we can accept more people.”

Vouchers can be picked up at Pad’s headquarters in Oud Metha from June 28.

“Sometimes people don’t want to make this issue public, so we can go out and deliver these packages to them directly,” he said.

“We have also sent out packages to people in Ajman and Sharjah in the past, although most of the people we help are based in Dubai. We have also had cases in the past where people from other countries have asked us to help like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

“We don’t turn anyone away, no matter which country they are from.”

The packages cost Dh200 each, and the costs are covered by Pad or through donations.

The aid-packs project is part of a series of events and activities planned by the Pakistani association during Ramadan.

“We go into the prisons and help people who have served their sentence for minor offences but can’t afford their tickets home,” he said.

“There are also many women serving prison terms and they have their children with them, so we provide gifts for them so that they can celebrate Eid.”

Organisers will visit a labour camp to provide free health checks and lectures on health awareness and volunteers will also take part in a clean-up of a neighbourhood mosque.

To donate, or for more information, contact Pad on 04 3373632.