Dumped baby drives Al Ain woman to make a difference

Al Ain: April Jameela, an abandoned baby girl found near a hotel's poolside area, changed the life of Michelle Mellinger, who has now dedicated her life to creating awareness about abandoned women and children in the country.

Mellinger, an American jewellery designer in Al Ain, calls the baby as ‘April Jameela'. [beautiful spring — April is synonymous with spring season and Jameela in Arabic means beautiful.

"I would love the story of the baby to get out to the public as well as the plight and the needs of abandoned women and children," she said.

Mellinger found Jameela on a poolside changing bench at the Danat Al Ain Resort on July 28 when an 11-year old girl informed her about the unattended baby. She was just a few days old then. Police and emergency services were called in and the baby was taken to Al Ain Hospital.

The little girl was first treated at the hospital and later sent to Dar Zayed Al Ain — an orphanage operating under the auspices of Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs. Police has been investigating the case and searching the unknown mother.

"I tried to adopt the little girl, but my plea was declined, probably, because I am a single woman," said Mellinger who has been living in Al Ain for the last six years.

Attachment

She, however, found herself warmly attached to the baby. "I want Jameela to find a great family and I want to be part of her life forever," she said.

"I don't think the baby was abandoned by her mother. A mother cannot dump her baby, it could have been her last resort out of a fear or [maybe] she had no other choice," said Mellinger.

She also thought about the agony and plight of the little girl's mother. "When they [authorities] first let me see the baby at the hospital for just a few minutes, I talked to her and kissed her a bit. It was a wonderful experience.... she smelled so good. I love that," recalled Mellinger.

She has often been visiting Jameela at Dar Zayed now. "I'd started the drive to collect toys and flowers for her, but that grew to an even greater cause of creating awareness about the plight of abandoned women and children," she said.

People in the UAE do come out for humanitarian assistance but for something that is heard of. "Not many people, however, know about EWA'A — Shelters for Women and Children in Abu Dhabi — or its needs," she said. This facility is a refuge for women and children who are victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation. EWA'A, which operates under the auspices of the UAE Red Crescent Authority, tries to bring smiles back to the victims' faces and revive their sense of dignity, she said.

Mellinger said she had noted down the telephone number of EWA'A from Gulf News in January this year unintentionally. "I had no idea at that time, but now I know something was preparing me for this cause... I know for sure that God has given me the little baby and an opportunity through her to serve the humanity," she said.

Mellinger, who is also a part-time teacher involved with children suffering from autism, said the drive, which is named after the baby April Jameela, has grown wider to collect donations, clothes (used or new), toys and gifts for the women and children at EWA'A.

She plans to organise a charity event at Al Ain Palm Resort in the middle of November. "All the proceeds of the event will go to the shelters [EWA'A]," she said.

Visit web blog: http://aprilsflowerscharity.blogspot.com/ Visit the Facebook page for April JameelaMichelle Mellinger's e-mail : aprils.flowers@yahoo.com.