DUBAI // At 87, most people would be slowing down, but Krishna Bhatia has spent her whole life helping others and Ramadan is her busiest month.
Almost every day during the holy month, Mrs Bhatia and her team of volunteers have donated and distributed food and drink to those less fortunate through sharing fridges dotted around industrial areas and residential neighbourhoods in Dubai.
“There are poor people who can’t afford to buy proper food and I want to help them,” says Mrs Bhatia, who prefers to give people food rather than money.
Before moving to Dubai with her two daughters and grandson three years ago, Mrs Bhatia lived in Singapore where she was equally active in charitable work.
“In Singapore, I went to schools for the blind and deaf and donated food to those who couldn’t afford them,” she says.
The Ramadan Sharing Fridges initiative in Dubai – which is backed by Emirates Red Crescent – is good because it draws large crowds. “People circulate news about the availability of refrigerators in certain areas of Dubai. Long queues of labourers are waiting to be served with snacks and beverages,” Mrs Bhatia says.
At a sharing fridge near Al Falasi Residence in Bur Dubai, Mrs Bhatia asks workers lining the streets about their health and living conditions as she and the volunteers give them food.
She believes each individual can make a difference in someone’s life. “Never believe that an individual can’t make a difference. If a person can’t afford to help hundreds of poor people, then help just one.”
Swathi Santhosh, one of the fridge managers, said the initiative has grown in popularity since it began last year with dozens of people donating fridges and food.
“The initiative kept growing. We have about 28,000 members contributing to make the initiative work,” Mrs Santhosh says.
The initiative also has a smartphone app, Community Fridge, to make it easier for residents to contribute and pinpoint which fridges need restocking.
With more than 170 fridges across Dubai, Mrs Santhosh says the only concern organisers have is to keep the fridges stocked for those in genuine need.
“Sometimes, we have seen people stop their cars and take items from the refrigerators.”
The initiative is managed entirely by volunteers, and Ms Santhosh says the satisfaction from helping others is all the payment they need.
“The initiative is entirely humanitarian. We don’t differentiate between people whatsoever.
“For instance, a lot of non-Muslims donate fridges and food items to Muslim labourers. They come to the fridge and walk away with a cold drink and you know it has made them happy.”
nalramahi@thenational.ae