Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the United Arab Emirates lent a hand in distributing Iftar meals at the Hamel Al Ghaith Mosque in Dubai during the holy month of Ramadan.
Charity works are essential in observing Ramadan as they exemplify the core values of compassion, generosity, and empathy. However, these values are not just limited to our Muslim brothers and sisters, these can also be embodied by anyone regardless of faith.
With that, some of our fellow OFWs took on the initiative to volunteer for the Iftar meal distribution, as part of the ‘Ramadan in Dubai campaign’, spearheaded by the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) and in collaboration with the Community Development Authority (CDA).
When asked about the impact of volunteering during Ramadan, Xander, one of the Filipino volunteers, shared with The Filipino Times: “Yes, it’s fulfilling. In fact, we come here straight from work, and despite our schedules ending at 4 o’clock [in the afternoon], we make sure to be here [at the mosque] by 5 o’clock.”
These OFWs are not just committed in helping but they are also dedicated in ensuring their timely presence, even after a long day of work.
“We encourage our fellow Filipinos to join volunteering activities. All you have to do is to download the volunteers.ae app and then register. There you will see the upcoming events you can participate in as a volunteer,” said another OFW.
“You can also reach out to our Filipino community to ask,” Xander added.
Indeed, this involvement of our fellow overseas Filipinos has shown that the essence of Ramadan transcends beyond religious belief, uniting people of different cultures and faiths through the shared values of compassion, generosity, and empathy.
