Children pitch in to help JLT charity market

Dubai: Just like in a yearly tradition, 13 year-old Sahil Mohan helped his mother carry down boxes of clothes, movies and old books to set up his stall at the Jumairah Lake Towers’ annual charity market.

“The charity sale reminds me of the value of everything I have and how there are other people in need,” said Sahil who was taking part in the event for the third time as the event was rolled out on Friday.

Sahil and his mother Aarti Mohan, one of the event’s organisers, were among the many volunteers who participated at the charity event with the aim of bringing the community together for a good cause.

“The aim is to show the community’s vibrancy, unity and peace that the UAE wants to bring across, while having fun and doing a good, noble deed together,” Aarti Mohan told Gulf News.

Highlighting the high number of children standing behind the stalls this year, Maryoleione Buker, another organiser pointed out the importance of involving children in charity work.

“Children make the best volunteers, they work very hard and they also appreciate what they have, and understand the value of sharing and giving to others,” she added.

The charity event, which took place at JLT Cluster C, included stalls selling shoes, clothing, books, household items, electronics, and homemade food.

“We’ve made a lot of dry foods, Indian dishes, salads, and we’ve baked cupcakes, which [will] all be sold for charity,” said Romi kanwar, a participant. Other activities included henna tattoos, games, fortune-card telling, and free health checks by Aster Clinic. All the proceeds from the charity sale will go to Al Manzil Special Needs School in Sharjah.

Starting at noon and ending at 6pm, hundreds of people from neighbourhoods around the area, such as Marina, Discovery Gardens, Tecom, and Emirates Hills visited the market on Friday.

The event was organised by Dubai residents and supported by Dubai Multi Commodities Center Authority (DMCC).