Ramadan, the holy month of fasting and charity, is a time when the Muslim community comes together to help those in need. For many volunteers in the UAE, Ramadan is a time to put their busy lives on hold and focus on giving back to the community. From distributing Iftar meals in labour camps to packing food for the needy at mosques, these volunteers form the lifeline of generosity that sees thousands of people get free meals during Ramadan.
One such volunteer is Shajil Shoukath, an Indian expat who spends all 30 days of Ramadan in workers’ accommodations in Dubai Investment Park and Sajaa, distributing Iftar for more than 12,000 labourers. Shajil, who has had iftar with his family only during the two years of Covid-19 lockdown, says that there is something calming about spending time in the camps during Ramadan. He believes that the small meal he has during Iftar, which comprises of a date and a piece of fruit, is much more fulfilling than a grand buffet in a 5-star hotel.
Shajil is not alone in his efforts to help those in need during Ramadan. Thousands of volunteers in the UAE spend all their time during Ramadan actively helping those in need. Foregoing the chance to sit down with their families and have a sumptuous Iftar, they opt to head to labour camps and mosques to coordinate and distribute meals across the country. They form a collective that works tirelessly to ensure that everyone has access to food during the holy month.
Fatma Masoud Alawadhi and her neighbour Kelly Harvarde, along with three others, are part of this collective. They first met when they started the ‘Ramadan Fridge’ initiative in 2016, which put out food in refrigerators for those who needed it. When Covid struck and the campaign had to be stopped, the group began looking for other ways to give back to the community. That is when they hit upon the idea of distributing meals in the Satwa Mosque. For the last two years, Fatma has been spending every day at the mosque distributing meals as opposed to eating with her family. She says that this group has become her family and that every day she keeps one-and-a half hours of her day aside to spend with them and give back to the community. According to Fatma, the most beautiful feeling is when children come up to her with their money. She says that some bring Dh10, which is all their pocket money, while others bring money from their piggy banks and give coins. This act of giving makes her tear up and is one of the reasons why she and her group do what they do.
For Australian-born Christine, volunteering during Ramadan is the culmination of becoming a Muslim. The expat came to the UAE to work at Expo 2020 and converted to Islam two-and-a-half years ago. This year, every day she has been spending her time distributing packages among workers at a mosque. Accompanied by a group of other volunteers, Christine arrives at the mosque daily at a little after 4pm to pack and distribute food and other items among people. She says that around 3pm, she starts to get a little hungry, but once she gets to the mosque, she forgets about her hunger until it is time to break the fast. Christine believes that the whole purpose of Ramadan is to get closer to God and start giving, and she gives by spending her time with the community. She feels that her Ramadan has become so much easier with this act of giving.
Another volunteer who spends his entire month at workers’ accommodations is Indian expat Mashood Shah. He says that he has always been a very socially active person, even before he came to Dubai, and that his family knows how important it is for
