UAE: Expats take to volunteering as a way to 'give back'

Volunteers with Palestinian and Sudanese roots were among the 400 people who participated in Dubai Cares’ ‘Back to School’ initiative held in Abu Dhabi on Friday, saying they did so as their way of giving back to the UAE what they could not do for their own country.

Mouna Hassan El Kabt, 44, who was born in Abu Dhabi and has lived most of her life in Sharjah, said it saddens her to be away from her loved ones in Palestine. She told Khaleej Times “volunteering for Dubai Care’s ‘Back to School’ initiative was her means to console herself, especially considering schoolchildren are the beneficiaries of the program.”

“I couldn’t do anything for my country. This is my way of giving back. What I couldn’t do for my country, I do here. It’s the least that I can do – joining events like this to get to the people who need help,” said El Kabt.

El Kabt said she has family living in Palestine. “It is very difficult to see them. Unfortunately, I cannot go there. We have communication and, Alhamdullilah, they are safe,” she added.

Another volunteer, Alaa Mohammed, 22, from Sudan, said the UAE is “doing a great job with the back-to-school program for children of low-income families”.

She poignantly noted, however, that schools are mostly closed in her own country with the civil war now in its second year.

“There is war in Sudan. But I’m here; so, I am volunteering for the schoolchildren because it reminds me of home,” she added.

Overwhelming turnout

Dubai Cares COO Abdulla Ahmed Alshehhi said: “This year’s turnout of volunteers was overwhelming. We were expecting 200 to 250 people but about 400 volunteeers showed up (at Adnec Centre Abu Dhabi).”

There was a festive atmosphere as volunteers packed pencils, sharpeners, notepads, drawing books, coloured pens, and board markers. They assembled a total of 10,000 backpacks that were later on packed in boxes and stacked in delivery trucks for transport to 12 schools across the UAE.

Alshehhi said Dubai Cares collaborated with partners. “Their participation not only made this initiative possible, but also demonstrated the profound impact that community engagement can have in addressing social challenges,” he added.

“Overall, the energy and sense of community was fantastic, and we look forward to future volunteering events that bring people together for worthy causes across the UAE,” Faisal Falaknaz, Aldar’s group chief financial and sustainability officer, said.

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