When donation is a way of life

Dubai: We may not be completely selfish. Somewhere deep within we might be compassionate and full of empathy.

And this appears to be the driving force that compels UAE residents to donate to charitable causes.

Rolando Cocepcion, a 29-year-old Filipino expatriate, is one of these people who have made charity and donating part of their lives. He said: "Helping the poor and the sick is one of the things which bring me happiness."

Being a father is one of the main reasons that makes him feel the need to help the unfortunate ones, especially children.

"Having children of my own, my heart warms towards other children who might be in need of food, shelter or healthcare."

The condition of people back home in the Philippines is also a continuous reminder for Cocepcion.

He says: "There are so many poor people back home. It saddens me to think about them, but it also encourages me to donate and contribute more to charity."

The feeling of gratitude is what encourages Ksenya Prekovic, a Croatian expatriate, to donate regularly.

She says: "There are many people out there who are less fortunate than me, and the fact that I have more than I need makes me willing to share what I have with those people,"

Yousuf Shalabi, a Lebanese expatriate, donates regularly for similar reasons.

"I feel sorry for the people around the world who have been hit by crisis such as war or natural disasters, and that makes me feel that I have to reach out to them."

For Wafa Khalfan, a 23-year-old Emirati, the current financial crunch encourages her to give money to charity.

"Feeling the rise in prices makes me feel sorry for those who are not too well off in the first place. I think their lives are getting really harder these days. I therefore try to help as much as I can through donations."

Sometimes when we are dressed in warm clothes, our stomachs are full with tasty food and live in comfortable houses, we forget that somewhere out there, many have not been blessed with half of what we have. Some of us though, never forget their obligations towards those in need.