A time of reflection and giving back
Ramadan is almost upon us, and it is a month of faith, prayer and reflection. Throughout the month, many Muslims and organisations work towards giving back to the community – no matter how small or big, every charitable act goes towards helping the less fortunate. So, if you are looking to make this Holy Month count, here is how you can help.
Ramadan Sharing Fridges
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This non-profit organisation was founded in 2016, under the patronage of the Emirates Red Crescent. The idea behind it is that individuals would place a spare fridge outside their home for communal use. Throughout all of Ramadan, volunteers keep the fridges stocked with water, milk, fruit and biscuits, and people can locate the the registered fridges, and monitor their contents the via the dedicated ‘communityfridge’ app.
It aims to help workers and labourers who need sustenance at iftar, as the fridges offer a means to get free food, juices and water. So lend a hand this Ramadan and find a fridge in your neighbourhood to fill up.
Volunteer with Dubai Cares
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This Ramadan, you could also help improve the lives of many children. You could volunteer with Dubai Cares and help build and renovate schools and classrooms as well as improving water, sanitation and hygiene in schools, providing school feeding, deworming activities, early childhood education, as well as teacher training, curriculum development, literacy and numeracy. All you have to do is sign up by visiting dubaicares.ae/en/volunteer
SMS your Iftar donation
The beauty of technology is that you can now donate from any place at any time. Dar al Ber Society, a philanthropic and charitable organisation based in Dubai, collections donations through SMS messages. You can now give to charity through your smart phone. Donations can start at AED 20 and go all the way up to AED 200.
Donate your leftovers
Part of Ramadan is the emphasis on reconnecting with family and friends, and one way in which this is done is huge iftar feasts. Most of the time, there ends up being extra food, which could then be thrown away. However, every year, the Dubai Municipality runs campaigns to collect leftover food and distribute it to poor and needy families around the city. So package up your leftover food, and donate to those in need. You can also take it a step further by volunteering to pick up the food from people’s homes. All you have to do is contact Food Control Department of Dubai Municipality or visit dm.gov.ae.
Contribute to donation stands
We are sure that you have seen these donation stands located in shopping malls, supermarkets and even community areas. At the stand, you can pick a specific donation, starting from AED 10. You can choose which charity to donate to, and there are several charitable projects including building mosques and supervising them, digging wells, allocating endowments for charity, building orphanages, building schools and colleges to teach children, establishing libraries, and more.
Time to give back!
Images: Instagram
