Abu Dhabi: Through the generosity and compassion of residents, a total of 40 sharing fridges are operating in the capital this Ramadan, and the group organising the campaign is hoping to increase the number even more by the end of the holy month.
The fridges have been set up in areas with the greatest need, especially in neighbourhoods that are close to construction and other work sites, Daham Al Kandah, 52, a senior chief engineer from Syria and organiser of the initiative, told Gulf News.
“Various social media posts shed light on the concept of sharing fridges last year, and I wanted to do something similar. So I set up a WhatsApp and a Facebook group, found other interested Good Samaritans and it just took off,” Al Kandah said.
A Filipino human resources executive, M.J. Lami-in, and Sonia Fernandes, a Portuguese expat, joined hands with Al Kandah and set up the first fridges. Each fridge cost between Dh500 and Dh1,500 to acquire and install, and Al Kandah provided a vehicle and workmen for transportation and installation.
“We saw a huge response through the Facebook page, and membership increased quickly from just five or six people to 2,200 members. Many people wanted to fill up the fridges, and we helped guide others in setting up fridges in areas where they would have the greatest benefit,” Al Kandah said.
The fridges are now stocked four to six times daily with water, juices, fruits and packaged foods, and members galvanise response by informing one another when a fridge needs to be restocked.
“Stocking a fridge fully costs about Dh400, and we never see a dearth of charity in this regard. After all, we must all do something four our brothers who toil away in the heat every day,” Al Kandah said.
In addition, members also regularly purchase iftar meals from restaurants and distribute them to workers at worker accommodation complexes.
