Dubai
Around three years ago, a group of women in Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah community decided to come together to connect with each other. This Ramadan, we decided to give back to society in a special way.
Many people work hard in the heat, rain, wind and cold to maintain the beauty, safety and greenery of the beautiful area. Taking inspiration from UAE’s Year of Giving, my friend, Veena Mughanahalli, and I decided to organise gift boxes for the workers around the area.
The response was overwhelming and humbling! Many members of the group got together to create 1,000 gift boxes. We had very generous contributions of rice, sugar, caps, apples and t-shirts from the members to gift to the security guards, landscaping staff and the cleaners who work tirelessly on the Palm Jumeirah.
The encouraging response by the members enabled us to provide gift boxes to many of the labourers working on various construction sites, too.
The entire process required distributing, working for many hours planning the whole process, creating the assembly line for packing and completing the task well within time. After all charity begins at home and these are the values that will go a long way in providing the right foundation for a meaningful future!
Falguni Patel, a director based in Dubai, said: “It is a time to reflect and appreciate the work and help of everyone around us. And so the gift boxes are a small token of our appreciation.”
Farina Moti, a chief executive officer based in Dubai, said: “Often we take our blessings for granted and get caught up in our quest for more materialism. This is a small gesture to make life easier for those individuals who bring ease to our lives. Bringing a smile to someone’s face is the greatest gift one can receive.”
Nishi Bhayani, a Dubai resident, said: “Coming together as a group had a stronger impact on getting the packs out in time for Ramadan for the workers. It makes one feel good to see the smile on their faces.”
As far as our group is concerned, what started as a small unit with 10 members, has now grown to a substantial number of 70 women who meet at least 10 times a year to celebrate festivals and enhance the community living experience.
Entwined into the very thread of this social network is a strong feeling of giving, sharing and donating as a group because acts of kindness and generosity are the very activities that uplift the experience of bonding.
Our mission is to expand the reach of the gift boxes to a larger number of helping staff year on year. With all the new construction projects, a staggering number of workers come to work on the Palm Jumeirah through the year. It is a mammoth task to keep it beautiful, safe and clean and the residents are forever grateful to this committed network of helpers.
— The reader is the director of a Dubai-based (what sector) company.
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