We’re midway into the Holy Month of generosity, but are you still pondering how best to do your bit for a worthy cause? Abu Dhabi Cause Connect (ADCC) can give some inspiration at times like these – they have their finger on the pulse of every social cause in the capital. We caught up with ADCC’s Suparna Mathur, in the hopes that she could guide our charitable giving in the right direction. To our surprise, Suparna didn’t want to. Instead, she wanted to tell us how we ought to spend one of our evenings this month – breaking bread with the occupants of a woman’s labour camp. She began by telling the story of a lady who cannot be named.
Our heroine is the current manager of a woman’s labour camp in Abu Dhabi. Hailing from the Philippines, she’s been in the capital since 1988. ‘She’s worked at two different women’s labour camps during her time here and has seen her children grow up, marry and have their own children from a distance,’ said Suparna. ‘Her mobile screensaver is a picture of a two-year-old grandchild she has never met and her older grandchild (of 12 years) keeps asking her to check her email to see photos of the family. She doesn’t know how to use the computer but some of the younger girls at the camp help her.
‘Making sacrifices as a mother is something almost all of our female volunteers at ADCC can relate to,’ Suparna continued. ‘Which is what makes this project so meaningful.’ The project she refers to is a Ramadan Iftar Dinners initiative, but this isn’t just about feeding the poor. In fact, poverty isn’t the big issue here. ADCC is out to alleviate something more vital: the need for human connection.
Social and cultural segregation is something that occurs in every society and it often gets in the way of knowing and caring about our fellow man. But what better time than now to make the effort to know and care?
‘At one of the camps there are approximately 100 women who live in a building with 19 rooms,’ Suparna explained. ‘They work in cleaning services in various malls and buildings around the capital. These women are not desperate, destitute or living in poor circumstances. On the contrary, they speak basic English and have relatively comfortable living conditions in shared accommodation. However, they are living far away from their homes, husbands and children whom they usually only see once every two to four years. They have minimal-to-no savings, because they send almost everything they earn back home to support their families, with many of them working extra hours to make more pay.’
Cause Connect has been organising weekly iftars at women’s labour camps every Friday throughout Ramadan, but there is more to it than just the food. ‘The events are more about engaging the community so they can get to know the women and relate to them,’ said Suparna. ‘The donation of iftar meals helps provide a setting for a fun evening.’
So what can you do? Well it depends on who you are. If you’re a corporate entity, why not donate food or sponsor a meal? Api Cae Gourmet, Slices, The One, Sugaholic and Miss Vanelli’s are just some of the Abu Dhabi companies which have come on board to make these iftars possible. But if you’re not a corporate entity, fret not, because the power of one is a great thing.
The aim is to help make the lives of these selfless women more comfortable and enjoyable. So gifts with heart and a personal touch are in, cash donations are out. And by gifts we mean anything from food and Ramadan goodies to cosmetics, phone cards and cinema tickets. But think bulk! If your community wants to make a difference, how about organising a fundraiser to buy needful items in big numbers? Or if you’re literally just one person (women only) who wants to make a difference, why not volunteer? Help ADCC out on the evenings of the iftars, and come with home baked cakes or your favourite dish to share with the women. With games, gifts, good food and great company, it’ll be an iftar to remember.
The Cause Connect iftar dinners are every Friday throughout Ramadan. The next one is on August 10 and then August 17. For more information on how you can volunteer or help, contact suparna@abudhabicauseconnect.com or go on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/AbuDhabiCauseConnect
