Spreading a message of compassion through a bottle of water

'Water is life' is not a cliché but a philosophy and a mission for Emirati philanthropist Omar Abdulla Khalfan.
An engineer by profession, Khalfan, 35, is the chief kind officer at Be Kind, an organisation that is partnering with the Al Ihsan Charity Association to donate over 70,000 bottles of Zayed Water to the annual Ramadan Aman campaign, including over 50,000 bottles to be distributed to expatriate labourers during Iftars run by the Emirates Red Crescent at mosques across the UAE.
"Our inspiration behind the initiative is the concept that water gives life," Khalfan said.
"For many of us, water is a readily available commodity. So, we often take it for granted and we tend to overlook the millions of people who don't have access to clean water. That's why we identified an opportunity to change the people's mindset and at the same time, combat the lack of water in some areas - locally and globally," explained Khalfan.
Launched in 2018, Be Kind is the product of Khalfan's desire to spread a message of kindness by helping those who need it the most. Be Kind's first product is a low sodium bottle of water appropriately named 'Zayed Water'. His inspiration for Zayed Water is the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and his aim is to align the vision and message of Zayed Water with the legacy of kindness and generosity that the Father of the UAE is renowned for. "This initiative is part of the Year of Tolerance. Be Kind aims to spread a message of compassion, happiness and kindness across the UAE," he added.
Khalfan is also an environmentalist. He said Zayed Water is a bottled water brand that is "socially responsible and ethical".
For Khalfan, the financial bottom line is not as important as bringing an ethically sourced and sustainable product.
"Zayed Water is sustainably sourced from the natural oasis of Falaj Al Mualla that lies at the foothills of the legendary Hajar Mountains. Not just it is enriched naturally with essential minerals and low sodium, the bottled water uses 45 per cent less plastic. Not only does this consume less energy to manufacture, but also reduces carbon emissions," he explained.
"Be Kind aims to be an example to the next generation by demonstrating how the choices we make as a consumer can have a positive impact on the wider community," he added.
angel@khaleejtimes.com