The gift of giving

Cherish Blessings programme takes gently used clothing and redistributes it to the needy in gift form.

Sultan Al Shehhi, the head of Cherish Blessings, talks about the organization's operations in the UAE.

ABU DHABI // In a pale green warehouse in Mussaffah, Majda sits five days a week folding hand-me-down clothes as neatly as possible, making them ready for their next owner.

The items, which come from companies and donors, are then sealed in plastic packaging and stacked in piles.

"I used to work in a clothes store," Majda said as she folded a baby's bodysuit. "So I am well trained."

After several months of receiving aid from the Emirates Red Crescent herself, Majda, who was made to leave her last job at a fashion boutique because of a physical disability, was welcomed to the authority and employed by their Hifth Al Ne'ma (Cherish Blessings) programme, also known as the Grace Conservation project.

Sultan Al Shehhi, head of the programme, said the people employed by the organisation were often those who had struggled themselves.

"No one will feel for the less fortunate [more] than the less fortunate themselves," he said. "Here we are servants to the less fortunate."

With Eid over and a fresh batch of unwanted garments, shoes, bags, and accessories on their doorstep, Cherish Blessings workers have been toiling countless hours putting together "gift" boxes for needy families.

"The Red Crescent gives us a list of names of people we need to give aid to, then we call them and find out how many people are in the family, their clothing sizes, shoe sizes, preferences, and then put outfits for every member in a box that carries no sign of the authority, but looks like a gift," Mr Al Shehhi said, as he went through clothing racks filled with every imaginable item.

"We help people from all nationalities. We do not differentiate between any nationality or any religion," he said. "Sheikh Zayed would help any person."

Although the programme was launched only last year, it has quickly picked up, with more people calling to donate daily.

"People are more aware now. They even work with us by washing and ironing, and even perfuming, the clothes."

In a room next door, wedding and engagement dresses are displayed on mannequins. Racks are filled with multicoloured dresses for all occasions.

"Sometimes when we have an orphan and she is getting married, we bring her here and tell her you can pick three dresses," he said. "We cannot just send them the dress, they may not like the colours and the fitting might not be right. With the wedding dresses, they are lent out and brought back."

Mr Al Shehhi said the group had so many dresses it considered opening a charity store, but feared local society was not ready for that yet. "More awareness is still needed," he said.

As the all-female staff go through the garments, some luxury goods are found.

"These are put aside and then given to the ones who have special occasions as gifts," he said.

Most of the clothes are distributed in the UAE but some are sent abroad to assist in the Red Crescent's relief missions.

Towels, robes and blankets donated from five-star hotels have been sent to Yemen and to Syrian refugees in Jordan.

"We try to tell people who donate to come and see what we are doing, to know what is happening with the things they donate," Mr Al Shehhi said. "Some have come and have been impressed. Even companies, when they come say, they were not expecting such a big operation."

Residents can call 800 5011 to donate and donors are asked to pass along only "suitable" items.

"We try to tell people if the clothes are done, finished, to donate it at the mosques. If they are very suitable for reuse, to pass to us," Mr Al Shehhi said.

He said unlike other places collecting used clothes, the volunteers from Cherish Blessings would go personally to collect items to be donated, and handle them with care.