Initiative by The Giving Family is inviting more hairdressers to partner with them and bring joy to those 'helping build this amazing country'
Several labourers in Dubai were left feeling emotional and overwhelmed on Tuesday (April 18) when they were treated to a clean cut and shave by a celebrity barber. “Some workers were tearing up as I gave them a haircut,” said Luay Fandi. "Many of them had only ever had a quick trim or shave, so for them, it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. One of them, Hamza, gave me a hug after his haircut."
The campaign spearheaded by The Giving Family (TGF) just in time for Eid Al Fitr will see some of the best barbers in the city lining up to render their services for free to labourers who will get a golden chance for an uber cool transformation.
Luay Fandi (R) with Fadie Musallat
“It was a last-minute decision to do something like this,” said Zehra Rizvi, one of the organisers of TGF. The organisation, which began as a small initiative in 2017 by founder Fadie Musallat has been distributing free meals to workers daily during Ramadan. “We thought that since it is Eid, why don’t we give them a haircut while distributing the Iftar kits.”
The campaign will continue over the next few days as co-founder of The Giving Family, Fadie Musallat, reached out for more volunteers on his Instagram. “We have had a tremendous response,” said Zehra. “We will continue giving as many haircuts as possible till the end of Ramadan.”
According to Luay, he was determined to give the men a complete experience. “I didn’t want it to be a rushed haircut,” he said. “I brought all my equipment from the salon and gave them a clean haircut and shave. I wanted them to feel that they had visited a high-end salon. That is the haircut they deserve. They are the ones who are helping build this amazing country.”
Luay spent two hours at the camp and gave haircuts to ten workers. “We took a video of the transformation to inspire more barbers to come forward,” he said. “It was a wonderful experience, and I hope that more barbers will turn up so that we can serve more people. I will be doing this every day till the end of the month. I am truly grateful to The Giving Family for giving me this opportunity to give back.”
Watch the transformation Luay gives to one of the labourers:
Delivery riders in UAE are also being offered the chance to get a stylish haircut in time for Eid. Deliveroo is offering its riders complimentary grooming packages in association with local business Medina Salon as a token of appreciation for their work.
The package, designed exclusively for the riders to look and feel their best, includes a haircut, shave, and facial. This initiative has been rolled out across the salon’s 22 branches in the UAE. Riders can visit any Madina Salon to avail of the package ahead of Eid Al Fitr.
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Nasreen Abdulla is a Special Correspondent covering food, tech and human interest stories. When not challenged by deadlines, you’ll find her pulling off submissions on the jiu jitsu mats.