Adopt-a-Camp to distribute Ramadan care packages to thousands of workers

More than 2,000 municipality workers are to be given a special thank you this Ramadan from charity Adopt-a-Camp.

Saher Shaikh, founder of Adopt-a-Camp charity, is excited to see her Ramadan gift plan being put into action. Sarah Dea / The National

DUBAI // More than 2,000 municipality workers are to be given a special thank-you this Ramadan from the charity Adopt-a-Camp.

“This is going to be a wonderful surprise for many of them because they will be bused in directly after their shifts and instead of going to their camps they will come to collect their care packages,” said Saher Shaikh, founder of Adopt-a-Camp.

In previous years the charity distributed thousands of packs to construction workers across the emirate. This year the organisation is working closely with Dubai Municipality.

“We’ve had a great response from the municipality and they have been very helpful and keen to work with us and do something for their workers,” Mrs Shaikh said.

“We have worked with the municipality before but this year we thought it would be really nice to give something back to the thousands of workers who help keep the city looking and running as well as it does,” she said.

“This time we felt it would be good to support the guys who sweep the streets and pick up the trash and maintain the city.”

The organisation is aiming to distribute 2,000 packages.

The boxes contain a range of goods from a three-month supply of toiletries to steel cups and plates, new clothes, energy biscuits, bed linen and pillows.

“We are still appealing for sponsors and companies to give items in bulk,” Mrs Shaikh said.

“It’s better for us if people donate a number of the same items rather than do their own collection. Our aim is to have enough that we can put each type of item in all of the care packages.”

Thousands of volunteers will help to pack the supplies on July 7 and 8 at Repton School in Nad Al Sheba. The distribution will take place at the school on July 9.

“With the setting in a school there’s going to be a real community spirit on the three days and it’s a wonderful time of year to help those less fortunate than ourselves.

“There are still places open for volunteers on the first two days but the distribution will be carried out by people who sponsored the packages this year,” she said.

Zahra Bawany, 18, from the UK, has been volunteering with Adopt-a-Camp for more than five years.

She became aware of the difficulties faced by labourers after she noticed a gardener drenched in sweat as she waited outside her home.

“I was waiting outside for only 15 minutes and it was really hot,” she said.

“But when I saw the gardener and realised that this is what they go through for hours on end every day I really wanted to do something to help,” said Ms Bawany, who volunteers her time as a personal assistant to Mrs Shaikh.

“I’m really looking forward to this year’s event and can’t wait for it to start.”

Each care package costs Dh100. The closing date for sponsors who would like to be involved with the project is July 2.

For more details about how to sponsor, or to volunteer for the project, visit www.adoptacamp.org.