Dubai residents rally for workers’ Christmas boxes
Thousands of Dubai residents have donated food and toiletries for blue-collar workers in Christmas comfort packages.
About 6,900 members of the British Expats Dubai Facebook group rounded up goods to deliver to more than 300 workers at labour accommodations in Al Quoz.
Donors could offer specific items from an online shopping list of everyday goods, which were then boxed up and delivered to workers.
Toiletries and other supplies, including more than 1,000 apples and pears, were handed out on Friday.
“It occurred to me that, as Britons, we are in a largely privileged position in the UAE,” said Keren Bobker, senior partner at Holborn Assets and a columnist for The National, who founded the Facebook page.
“As Christmas is the season of giving, we should try to give back to our local community and help out those in less fortunate circumstances.
“Members of the Facebook group were asked to donate items from a list, or purchase a box of items put together by a company, which were then delivered to volunteers for distribution.”
A second social media group with more than 6,000 members, Dubai Mums Helping Hands, helped with the project in partnership with SmartLife, a non-profit organisation set up to support blue-collar workers.
SmartLife offers workers free weekly English language lessons, and provides mentoring and occasional trips outside the labour camps.
The social media group had to seek approval to run a campaign for donations of food and toiletries under the Community Development Authority’s regulations.
“Not only did members step up but there was massive support by businesses,” Ms Bobker said. “Kibsons International, the food delivery company, donated 1,000 apples and pears, and the Box Self Storage Services delivered the items to the camp and helped with the distribution.”