Dubai
The month of Ramadan has a different spirit. People are more charitable, patient and kind. And this is the case amongst even the younger members in society. Youth groups based in Dubai went out of their way to serve iftar meals to the less fortunate.
Green Hope UAE was one of them. Kehkashan Basu, a student and founder of the youth group, said: “The month of Ramadan is one of sharing, caring and giving. We work on the core philosophy of sustainable development through active involvement of civil society. Every year during Ramadan, we gather our resources and contribute food packets to the workers. Most of these workers are away from their families and look forward to enjoy these interactions with us.
“This year, we wanted to make our Ramadan campaign green by spreading the message of waste reduction and recycling, while bringing happiness into the lives of the workers. On June 17, over 25 Green Hope members visited the Sonapur area in Dubai and handed out food packs and juices in reusable bags to 205 workers. The workers were also given reusable bowls. Our members then explained the concepts of recycling and reuse to the workers. We believe that every section of society must join hands for a sustainable future.”
Another youth group, Students for the Earth, organised a charity iftar for 150 women workers in Ajman.
Arushi Madan, a member of the youth group, said: “Around 50 students and a few parents volunteered in this charitable act to share joy with the workers. In addition to snacks and a meal for iftar, these workers were given basic toiletry items. Student volunteers packed basic essential items like soap, toothbrush and toothpaste in paper bags made by the students for this purpose. We promoted a strong message of saying no to plastic to care for the environment.”
George Zacharia, founder of the youth group, said: “The student members did not hesitate to come and volunteer on a hot afternoon for this noble cause. Every year we organise charity iftars as our token of thanks and love for the workers. We also organise ‘Eidi for the needy’ and collect and donate gifts to the less fortunate.”
Youth SynergY worked to serve 500 scrap collection workers at Bayada landfill in Dubai.
Simran Vedvyas, the founder of the group, said: “The initiative is now in its fourth year and has successfully distributed food supplies to over 2,500 workers, since the start of the initiative in 2013. We served the people working at the landfill freshly cooked biryani, dates, fresh juices and packaged food items, including uncooked pasta and soup sachets, along with water bottles. Several business have supported this initiative to be successful.
“We chose this site because we have planted thousands of trees in the past at various landfills across the UAE and most of our members realise and appreciate the hard work the workers put in for keeping the environment of the city clean for us, working tirelessly and ignoring the harsh weather conditions. This is most certainly our way to express gratitude and share time with them during Ramadan.
“SynergY members not only engage in the noble charity but promote the important message to reduce food wastage, as a sustainable initiative.”
