Volunteer group aims to dispel myths about Emiratis

Workers were thrilled to receive a surprise iftar box from the volunteer group Giveback UAE on Sunday. Delores Johnson / The National

ABU DHABI // Giveback UAE, an Emirati volunteer group, aims to show that helping others is not just about giving money, it is also about showing people that you care.

“People in the UAE are well off compared with the rest of the world and a lot of people donate money, food and essentials,” said Nahyan Al Ahbabi, 20, a member of the organisation.

He said fewer people were prepared to give up their own time and effort for charitable causes.

“Most of my friends send their drivers to distribute food during Ramadan but almost no one will do it themselves,” said Saif Al Romaithi, 22.

After a month of preparation, Giveback members distributed 1,100 food parcels on Sunday to workers at a labour camp in Mussaffah.

The packages, which cost about Dh20,000 in total, contained dates, samosas, biryani, cupcakes from a fellow volunteer’s sweet shop, juice and water.

“We prepared the food and packed the parcels ourselves,” said Jassim Abdulla, who co-founded the group last year to encourage young Emiratis to get actively involved in charity work.

“We could have sent a van with the parcels or asked one of the hotels to prepare and send out the packages but this is not what we wanted to do,” he said.

“We wanted to go ourselves and give the workers the packages ourselves. We want to show them that we care. The smiles on their faces while receiving the packages was so rewarding.”

He said labourers “clean our streets and build our houses” so feeding them during Ramadan was “the least we could do”.

The members, who were all fasting, set out at 4.30pm and finished giving out the packages just before time to break fast.

“I was exhausted,” Mr Al Romaithi said. “We all were but this was one of the happiest days of my life. I can’t describe how happy I was and the emotions I felt giving out the boxes. I wish everyone could experience it.”

Mr Al Romaithi and his friends also want to break the stereotype that “Emiratis are lazy, spoilt kids”.

“I’ve been told this by expatriates my entire life and this is what most people think of us,” he said. “I would like to show them through Giveback UAE that this is not true. We do things ourselves and support the community,” he said

The group was first called Giveback Abu Dhabi but the name was changed to reflect its Emirates-wide ambitions.

“After a year of preparation we decided to change the name so we don’t restrict ourselves to Abu Dhabi,” Mr Abdulla said.

The group has about 30 members. Mr Abdulla hopes more Emiratis will join them in future initiatives.

The volunteers’ next plan is to visit the Northern Emirates to help renovate the houses of Emiratis whose homes have fallen into disrepair and who do not have the means to fix or rebuild them.

The organisation can be followed on Instagram or reached on email at [e-mail]