Dubai schoolgirl raises funds for needy children after visit to Africa

Grade IV pupil Kimsat Mamdani sells bookmarks and greeting cards and bakes cookies and cakes to raise money for a rescue centre for abandoned babies in Nairobi.

Kismat Mamdani, 9, and her mother Alia Sheikh make and sell greeting cards, bookmarks and envelopes to help abandoned children in Kenya. Sarah Dea / The National

DUBAI // Kismat Mamdani is nine years old but she is not interested in the latest toys or boy bands.

The grade-four student at the Gems Winchester School in Dubai spends her days thinking instead of ways to help poor children in Africa.

Kismat saw how children her age lacked even the most basic of necessities during a visit to Kenya with her family.

“Children kept looking at us and asking if we have food,” said Kismat, who was born in Canada but whose family has Kenyan roots.

“We couldn’t give food to just one child as there were so many children standing in a line and they all needed food, clean clothes and a home. I was so upset seeing this.”

Determined to help, Kismat decided to use her talent for arts and crafts and baking to raise money.

“I usually make random stuff with paper. I thought ‘why don’t I make some interesting things?’”

She makes bookmarks, greeting cards and envelopes, cakes and biscuits in her free time and then sells the items door-to-door to her neighbours in The Lakes and The Greens.

“When I come back from school and I’m lazing around and have nothing to do, I make these,” she said.

Kismat sends the money she raises to a rescue centre for abandoned babies in Nairobi.

She recently sent about 2,000 Kenyan shillings (Dh85). The sum might seem modest but it can make a big difference to the lives of youngsters.

“It can buy a lot of food and groceries for the children,” said the youngster.

Her fundraising efforts are ongoing, and she recently organised a face-painting contest for children.

With Easter approaching, Kismat is also selling envelopes to hold Easter eggs and has made seasonal greetings cards she hopes will be a hit with the neighbours.

“When I go to people’s houses to sell them, they are usually friendly. One person paid Dh40 for a bookmark, which was Dh5, when he knew what I was making them for,” she said.

Kismat family was surprised that she had been so moved by what she saw in Kenya.

“She has grown up most of her life in Canada,” said Alia Sheikh, her mother, who is a teacher.

“We had seen poverty in Kenya while growing up but trying to instil that in a child is abstract.”

Kismat was so affected by the plight of abandoned babies that she wanted her mother to adopt one.

“She came back and started researching online how to adopt children from Kenya,” said Ms Sheikh, a mother of three. “She started leaving little notes around the house on how we could bring a baby home.

“I had to sit down and tell her that we couldn’t adopt but we could help children in many other ways.”

Kismat said: “I love babies and I want to look after them, feed them and bring them up.

“I am saving some of the money I make because I want to build a school in Kenya in 12 or 13 years.”