“There is a lot that happens around
the world we cannot control. We cannot stop earthquakes, we cannot
prevent droughts, we cannot prevent all conflict, but when we know where
the hungry and the homeless exist, then we can help.” - Jan Schakowsky
After
participating last year, I was humbled by the generosity and compassion
of our university community, the camaraderie of my fellows and the
unexpected effect it had on me personally. It was a truly awesome
experience. However, I recognized how little people know about and
understand the concept of homelessness, including myself. Whether
temporary or permanent, whether by choice or not, being homeless changes
a person forever.
Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to
the issue, often due to misinformation. Many people believe that
homelessness doesn’t exist in Dubai or similar modern cities… sadly that
is a dangerous and untrue assumption. I realized how much I take for
granted on a daily basis and gained some insight into the difficulties
the homeless face. I hope for an equally enlightening experience, the
opportunity to fund raise for a worthy charity and to shed light about a
problem that plagues the entire world.
DAY 1
Energy levels are up, donations are in and day 1 is over. I had a blast getting to know all the new guys, reminiscing with the ones from last year and anticipating what's in store for us on night 1. This year we've set the ambitious goal of raising at least AED 15,000 and raising awareness throughout our university, local community, family and friends. We'll also have the support of 10 kind-hearted ladies... so I'm optimistic well exceed our targets! Please come out and donate to the Dubai foundation for women and children and help those who are often forgotten. Thank you... and have a nice day :)
DAY 2
So far we've had generous donations, interesting conversations, lots of laughs and a sense of appreciation for the basic things we have in our regular daily lives. Many curious students from our university community questioned if homelessness was ever an issue in the UAE... I hope the stories below help us realize the sudden and indiscriminate nature of homelessness...
- First the story of a homeless family of 3 in the UAE:
"He is desperately trying to shield himself from the biting wind. His
Moroccan mother Wafa wraps her arms around her son as a silent prayer
drops from her lips into the darkness of the night. The homeless family has been living on the beach in Sharjah for more than a week." Read more @ http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/
"Little Elina is bright, chirpy and intelligent. Like most
five-year-olds, she enjoys an occasional sip of cola and a carefree ride
on a toy car. It’s only when the evening wears on and it’s time for her
to go home that she draws a blank. For almost a fortnight now, she
hasn’t had a place to go back to any where she can call home." Read more @ http://gulfnews.com/about-
Thank you... and have a nice day :)
DAY 3
- The story of several families that became instantly homeless for a short time in the UAE:
Anyone can become homeless, for a few nights, months or even years. Its a condition that quickly spirals out of your control and without a helping hand its nearly impossible to recover. Today is your chance to help, so please DONATE! Thank you... and have a nice day :)
Thank you... and have a nice day :)
DAY 3
Two days have past and two days remain. Acquiring food, water &
a place to sleep safely now dominate our daily agendas. Its hard to believe how drastically we have been affected in such a short time, both physically and mentally... Fortunately for us, the end is in sight. Unfortunately for the real homeless folks, the constant uncertainty of whether they will have food or drink and safe shelter is a very real concern. Here are some real life stories that capture its unfair and unforgiving nature...
- The story of a homeless woman and her two children in the UAE:
"A Kenyan mother and her two children are homeless and have been evicted
from their Sharjah apartment, after the woman’s husband allegedly
refused to pay the rent." Read more @ http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/
- The story of several families that became instantly homeless for a short time in the UAE:
"Aid workers sprang into action yesterday to help clothe, feed and house
125 families left homeless after a spectacular wall of flames ravaged a
25-storey residential high-rise on Wednesday." Read more @ http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/
Anyone can become homeless, for a few nights, months or even years. Its a condition that quickly spirals out of your control and without a helping hand its nearly impossible to recover. Today is your chance to help, so please DONATE! Thank you... and have a nice day :)
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