Tree of life lights up lives of the needy

"Light a lamp in someone's life during this holy month". This is the message a beautifully lit tree is giving out to visitors at the Arabian Center in Al Mizhar.
Placed at the mall entrance of (Gate 3), the Tree of Life is a community powered campaign by the mall driven by the spirit of generosity. Visitors of all faiths and nationalities are encouraged to donate, to bring about positive change in the lives of the needy.
For every contribution made, patrons are invited to light a lamp on the tree, thus representing a change made in the lives of the destitute. More lamps on the tree means more lives changed.
One emotional resident, a Palestinian national from Sharjah, said: "I am going through some problems in my life and just as I crossed this tree, I was just fascinated by its beauty as well as the concept. It made me forget my troubles and also gave me a chance to think about the needy who have much more troubles than us. I felt it was a sign from Allah to me that I must give charity (sadaqah) and Inshallah, all my problems will be gone."
Indian national Dileep said that although he is not a Muslim, his heart is full when he gives charity, especially during the holy month. "With this tree, I actually felt I made a difference in someone's life. Such initiatives are very touching," he said. Tim Jones, COO of Arabian Center, said: "Ramadan is a time when we try to focus our efforts on giving back to the world in any way we can. We're hoping the Tree of Life will create a sense of communal bonding and generosity, making it an oasis of giving and goodwill."
Apart from the Tree of Life, huge donation boxes have been placed at the mall's three entrances, for people to drop off clothes, books, stationery and toys.
All the monetary donations received will be handed over to the Red Crescent, which will then distribute them to refugee camps in Syria, Yemen, and Somalia. The clothes and other items collected at the mall alone annually reach more than 40,000 plus people in need across these refugee camps.
The Tree of Life initiative will continue till the end of Eid holidays and visitors can donate anytime between 11am-1am, daily.
saman@khaleejtimes.com
 (AS TOLD TO SAMAN HAZIQ)
Luis Carreno is a 36-year-old from Colombia who embraced Islam in January 2018. He is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt coach for the UAE armed forces in Dubai.