Welcome to ‘7 Ways To Pay It Forward’, 7 questions to individuals who are making a difference in the community. Each day we will feature a different initiative with details of how you too can get involved.
As always please do share with us any other initiatives you may know of and we can add them to our growing list which will be published on the seventh day.
Be safe, give back & stay connected!
Tatiana
Back in March, H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, launched the ‘Your City Needs You’ volunteering campaign.
The campaign responds to the call of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to increase awareness of the importance of volunteering as part of our patriotic and humanitarian responsibilities.
The campaign seeks to give people in Dubai the opportunity to participate in a variety of volunteering activities, paying tribute to healthcare workers and other personnel on the front lines of efforts to safeguard the health and well-being of the community.
“My message to everyone is to volunteer to join the dedicated teams that are working around-the-clock to protect our community. This is part of our social responsibility and our duty to help safeguard the welfare of society. Our aim is to ensure the highest levels of protection against the global pandemic we are facing and support the government’s efforts to combat it. This is a great opportunity to show our unity and our love for our city” Sheikh Hamdan said.
The campaign gives professional medical workers like doctors, pharmacists, para-medics and nurses the opportunity to serve the community. It also gives non-professionals a chance to provide social services for taking care of senior citizens and emergency response efforts.
As of today, the ‘Your City Needs You’ campaign has attracted 12,230 volunteers from 40 nationalities between the ages of 18 and 53.
Volunteers efforts also support the comprehensive sterilisation programme and preventive measures undertaken to counter the spread of the coronavirus, covering highly populated districts in Dubai like Al Ras, Naif, Al Raffa, Al Karama, Al Mankhool, Al Satwa and Oud Metha, in close collaboration with Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department which recently launched the Community Solidarity Fund Against COVID-19. The Fund enables individuals and organisations to channel their contributions to the right organisations in order to support the most vulnerable people.
Government teams along with volunteers from all over the emirate are working around the clock to secure the safety and health of the community: the ‘Your City Needs You’ campaign consolidates the efforts of many humanitarian organisations, including the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charitable Establishment, Dar Al Ber Society, Tarahum Charity Foundation, Beit Al Khair Society, Dubai Charity Association and Dubai KMCC.
Director General of Watani Al Emarat Foundation, Dherar Belhoul Al Falasi, affirmed that selfless volunteering is a key hallmark of progressive communities and it is deeply embedded in the UAE ethos. He praised the collaboration between various government departments and thanked Dubai’s residents for their cooperation and commitment to abiding by the preventive measures outlined by authorities. He also thanked the volunteers for their efforts, commitment and dedication, which have helped many people overcome challenges during the current period.
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The Your City Needs You volunteering campaign is organised in collaboration with Dubai Health Authority and Watani Al Emarat Foundation.