A bomb attack victim who feeds 2,000 people a day
We first started with distributing 50-60 trays, but people loved the idea and they started collaborating, so we slowly increased the amount of food served.” Ahmed Alladaa, brother
His world went silent after a bomb attacked his home in Palestine when he was three years old. Born and raised in the UAE, Anas Alladaa was in his hometown Gaza for vacation, but came back with a hearing impairment after a bomb hit his home while he was sleeping.
But that didn’t stop the 29-yearold from discovering his talents and giving back to the community. For 11 years now, he has been distributing Iftar for 2,000 people daily during Ramadan at the Abdullah Kateeb Mosque in Al Quoz 4 where he resides with his family.
“It was my father’s idea and we collaborated with Tuwar Traditional Kitchen that provides us with biryani, harees and other kinds of traditional food,” said Anas using the sign language translated by his elder brother Ahmed.
By 6pm, Anas heads to the mosque every day to distribute 400 trays of biryani along with dates, water, fruits and juices. “People chip in too and do their part in donating necessary food items,” said Anas. Hotel staff and labourers from nearby accommodations join the Iftar.
“Even after Ramadan is over, when people see Anas at the mosque they remember him and approach to greet him warmly,” said Ahmed. “We first started with distributing 50-60 trays, but people loved the idea and they started collaborating, so we slowly increased the amount of food served.”
Alladaa’s family was among 700,000 Palestinians who left their homes during the 1948 Palestinian war. While Anas and his brothers grew up in the UAE, the rest of his family is dispersed in Jordan, Egypt and Europe.
While it was difficult at the beginning for his siblings to communicate with him after the incident, Ahmed said Anas brought home books and taught them how to use the sign language. “When he learned the sign language and school, he came back to teach it to us, and now we can all communicate with him.”
Anas’s disability didn’t stop him from searching for his own talent either. At a young age, he discovered his love for drawing, slowly developing his passion into becoming a photographer and graphic designer.
With his family’s support, he joined Al Amal School for the Deaf at the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS). After years of hard work, he was able to receive a scholarship from SCHS to pursue a degree in Graphic Design at the University of Sharjah.
However, Ahmed said, he lost the university scholarship a year and a half later after his scores didn’t match the degree requirements. He worked on developing his own skills until he became a professional photographer and graphic designer at the SCHS. He displays his work in different exhibitions including Xposure International Photography Festival. “We had lost hope in finding him a job because most entities are not yet equipped to receive someone with hearing impairment who can work in photography,” said Ahmed. “We are grateful for the support we got from his school that gave him a chance to prove himself and helped him reach this point.”
As an employee at SCHS, Anas has plans to develop the field of photography at the school. “I plan to help in organising photography training sessions at university studios, elevate our presence on YouTube and arrange photography competitions for people with determination,” said Anas.