the cop who volunteers to build a fitter community
As part of the Day for Dubai initiative, Khaleej Times brings you stories of devoted heroes in our community who dedicate their time to support others through their skills and expertise. These individuals offer their time to benefit our community and its
14 categories of volunteer work specified by Day for Dubai
Passionate about health and fitness, Abdulrahman Abdul Rahim, a police officer, says supporting others comes naturally to him. “I am, however, always on the look out to expand my horizons and support more people than I actually do — particularly on my days off.
“I developed a passion for fitness after joining the Dubai Police Force, and after my dad passed away, as I had to be fit and capable to exceed expectations at my job and follow my father’s passion. My workouts often entailed High Intensity Training (HIT) exercises aimed at improving endurance whilst also building muscle and burning away fat,” Abdulrahman said.
So, he decided to launch a platform for fellow residents. “I hosted the first ever boot camp session at Kite Beach, after which I founded ‘Kite Killers’. Passers-by would stop and watch my friends and I train. Week after week, we’ve managed to build a Kite Killers community. I’m ecstatic: Not only am I fulfilling the dream of helping people, I’m also making friends, bringing people together and experiencing firsthand the melting pot that Dubai is by engaging with residents of different cultures, all through exercise.”
Abdulrahman feels he is fortunate enough to be able to dedicate time, while leveraging his talent and skills for a more positive and cohesive community. “We all leave the weekly Kite Killers sessions feeling positive, motivated and energetic. Being behind that gives me a satisfaction that I cannot explain.”
After it started off as weekly workout, he is proud to see Kite Killers develop into much more than that. Today, it’s a community, a subculture, a family. People from different walks of life came together, and through Kite Killers, managed to overcome daily struggles and challenges, build friendships, and become better versions of themselves, he says.
Helping people of determination
Now, he has expanded his initiative to help people of determination. Abdulrahman says: “The family grew and we started partnering with like-minded entities and individuals who share our vision. Recently, we’ve been working with ‘Senses for Special Needs’ to engage people of determination with sport, and help them cultivate their capabilities.”
Kite Killers also created a large number of volunteers. “It is wonderful to witness how individuals, who once needed all the support in the world, turned into volunteers themselves to support others and give back,” the founder says.
“By volunteering a little bit of my time, I’ve been able to develop my community and those around me. I believe it needs to be embedded into the youths’ mindset in the UAE.”
Abdulrahman encourages those interested to join a Kite Killers session on Kite Beach every Saturday, and to dedicate their time on Fridays to entertain people of determination.”
“We are fortunate to be living in a city where our leaders are committed to creating and maintaining a collaborative culture of like-minded people who are passionate about building and supporting the community.”
saman@khaleejtimes.com