It’s good to give back every once in a while, and there definitely isn’t a shortage of causes to give to with many in the UAE dedicating their spare hours to help make the world a better place.
Inspired by all the good will out there, we’ve rounded up five great new charities set up by UAE do-gooders that you should know about, and support…
Bright Star Montessori Learning Center
What? A fundraiser organised by UAE-based PR manager Sara Pashaei, who seeks to provide scholarship funding for the primary school students at Bright Star Montessori Learning Center (BSMLC) in Nairobi, Kenya.
Why? Many of the children at the BSMLC face various living predicaments, whether they’re orphans or children of single parents who’re struggling to make ends meet. Sara’s fundraiser would allow the students to go to school without having to struggle to pay for it. As little as Dhs60 could pay for one child’s tuition, food, school material and school uniform for an entire month.
How? Donate on the charity website, or share the cause through social media so that your friends and family can help out too.
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Rags To Riches
What? A charity started by keen Dubai-based sewer and crafter Barbara Evans who takes donated fabric (think recycling old sheets and pillowcases) and turns them into childrens’ clothing, which is then sent to children in orphanages in Africa, Syria and Nepal.
Why? A lot of the children in the orphanages lack good quality clothing and something that they can call their own. Barbara’s donations ensure that the kids stay warm in the colder months, especially in Syria and the colder parts of Nepal.
How? Visit the charity’s Facebook page to donate old fabric, or offer to help out with making the clothes.
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Animal Welfare Project
What? A project aimed at rounding up, feeding and looking after stray dogs, cats, camels and donkeys found in the UAE and then having them neutered and either released or rehomed in order to help control the population.
Why? There are many charities and volunteer groups trying to deal with strays, yet unfortunately not quite enough charities to deal with all of them. The Animal Welfare Project seeks to put an end to that by taking in as many strays as possible.
How? Food and funds can be donated through their Facebook page.
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The Sameness Project
What? A bunch of social innovators whose aim is to improve and create understanding of the lives around us that can sometimes go unnoticed. Projects such as Water For Workers – which does what it says on the tin – as well as We’ve Got Your Back, which is helping taxi drivers with back problems are just a couple of the projects that this charity carries out.
Why? The Sameness Project wants to get across the point that “we are all the same in our humanity”, regardless of our backgrounds.
How? Head to their website here, shoot them an email and ask if you can help out on one of their next projects.
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Omniyat Dania
What? A charity established by two parents who lost their daughter, Dania, to cancer, and have since set up a foundation that seeks to invest in and research medical treatment for childhood cancer in the UAE.
Why? They wish to get rid of the need for children to have to venture outside of the UAE for specialised care.
How? Head over to their fundraiser page here, where 100 per cent of the money you give will go to funding medical research.
So, be inspired and make 2016 the year you give back.
