Sharjah: The ‘Tarahum for Gaza’ campaign in Sharjah this morning saw more than 5,000 volunteers pouring in at the Sharjah Expo Centre to offer their services.
Mohammed Rashid bin Bayat, Chairman of the Board of Sharjah Charity International, told Gulf News, “Since morning, thousands of volunteers from different nationalities and age groups have flocked to Sharjah Expo Centre to help mobilise funds and relief materials.”
The campaign supervisors were forced to divide the volunteers into several groups to allow everyone to participate in the campaign. Over 7,500 packages were completed and they will be shipped to Gaza right away.
The campaign was organised by the Sharjah Charity international in cooperation with Emirates Red Crescent Authority, The Big Heart Foundation under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The official said UAE’s immediate response and direct support to the hungry and needy had put it in a leading position in the world in terms of the value of humanitarian aid, with this campaign and other initiatives reflecting the UAE’s humanitarian efforts yet again.
Abdullah Sultan bin Khadem , Executive Director of the Sharjah Charity International, said of the 7,500 relief packages, 4,500 included food, 2,000 comprised children’s baskets and 1,000 were packages for women.
Ali Mohammad Al Rashidi, Director of Human Resources at Sharjah Charity International, attended the campaign with his children and grandson, aged eight, six and three.
Mariam Al Hammadi, Director of The Big Heart Foundation, said The Big Heart Foundation is participating with over 3,000 volunteers in the national campaign. “We thank all the participating volunteers and entities for this collaborative humanitarian work.” she added.
Volunteer Hassna Rakid, an Egyptian, said, “Today, I was here to provide assistance in preparing the boxes and restocking the supplies and this is the least I can do.” She said she had taken part in similar humanitarian campaigns when earthquakes hit Turkey and Syria.
Another volunteer Shatha from Algeria said she is an active volunteer with a Sharjah volunteer group and takes part in many of its initiatives within and outside the UAE. She said, “We came together to provide aid to those in need. Working alongside dedicated volunteers, gives us a sense of unity and is inspiring.”
