Expat community joins hands to help residents affected by coronavirus crisis

Abu Dhabi - Residents and missions have come to the rescue of residents impacted by the pandemic.

Members of the community in UAE have stepped up to support each other during the Covid-19 pandemic. Missions, associations and the common man have gone out of their way to comfort those struggling to deal with the challenging situation.
While thousands of people continue to #StayHome, many are in quarantine, there are those on visit visa and stuck here, others have lost jobs or face salary cuts. Communities in coordination with missions and well-wishers have been able to ensure basic necessities are fulfilled.
Help for unpaid workers 
Close to 60 workers in Mussafah haven't been paid for months as the owner reportedly went missing. After long court cases, the workers had resigned to their fate and were planning to leave for good when the travel restrictions were imposed. With no work, money and food, their life was miserable until help came from social worker Ganesh Kumar.
"They aren't paid for 8-10 months. We used to provide them food and moral support," Kumar said. "We ask them to shop at hypermarket. Later we make purchases and deliver it at the camp. Covid-19 situation has come at the worst time for them."
Kumar coordinated with Indian Embassy and the Community Affairs wing on Sunday provided relief packets. "Officials handed over food provisions for one month to 59 Indian workers at the ACTCO labour camp in Mussafah. This was in continuation of the provisions given to them on March 25," the embassy said.
Aid provided in phases across UAE
Bangladesh Association Abu Dhabi is taking care of distressed expats with assistance provided in phases.
"We have volunteers at head office here, Sharjah and Fujairah branches. We provide food and medical kits to distressed expats. We have given such kits to up to 1,500 people in different emirates," said Bangladesh Association - UAE president Mohammad Moazzem Hossain. "We update list of people in need. Now we enter the next phase during Ramadan. We will provide kit to last a month."
There are many smaller community groups who have united to support those in a spot.
"We are reaching out to as many people as possible in the city and industrial areas. We are coordinating with Bangladesh Embassy," Hossain said.
Women make free cloth masks
Kerala Social Centre Abu Dhabi is in the forefront with the support of other groups like Shakti Theatres, Yuvalakala Sahithi, Kala Abu Dhabi and Friends ADMS. The centre has so far delivered food kits and medicines to more than 2,000 needy people.
"We have formed different squads and assigned duties to them," KSC's K.K. Sreevalsan said.
The women's wing is engaged in making and distribution of free masks. More than a dozen women with help of family members make cloth masks, which are then distributed to the needy.
There is another group, which creates awareness about the ways to contain the disease. KSC has opened 24-hour helplines for emergency assistance: 02-6314455, 0506210736 and 0505722959.
IIC turned into a relief centre
Indian Islamic Centre (IIC) sees flurry of activity all day through. Apart from the IIC, there are volunteers from Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre. There is a special team to monitor the entire operations.
"There are many people, who have come on visit visa and exhausted their resources, some who work in small shops no more have those jobs and others are in quarantine and isolation. So we receive calls from all these categories of people. We provide basic necessities of any kind - food, essentials, cloth etc. We cater to 750-800 people twice a day, i.e., over 1,500 food packets. Our office is a relief centre now," said M.P.M. Rasheed, general secretary, Indian Islamic Centre.
With onset of Ramadan, the centre is aiming to provide people with essential products to cook food.
"There will be no more iftars and tents, so we intend to provide food kits to those need it."

Using WhatsApp as a lifeline
Restaurant owners Anwar Sadath and Ibrahim Kanjiramukku started a WhatsApp group to able to reach as many hungry people in industrial areas.
They have few well-wishers and restaurants to help fuel their drives.
"We first received few phone calls seeking help. We soon realised there will be many more who have lost jobs and with no money. So we created WhatsApp group to spread the word. Soon many well-wishers joined to help us. We now distribute 600 food packets to people in Mussafah, Baniyas and other remote areas," Sadath and Kanjiramukku said. "There are many who await the delivery. We are on road for hours."

Ramadan kit distribution starts
Volunteers from the Abu Dhabi chapter of Indian NGO Markaz ICF have been distributing food kits for past few weeks to affected people and now started Ramadan package.
"So far we have distributed 2,000 food packs and medicine kits," ICF national president Usmansaquafi Thiruvathra said. "Now we have started distribution of 250 Ramadan kits to affected people. We distribute food kits to 50 families and 200 bachelors, who are placed under quarantine. Each kit includes 23kg rice, 2kg sugar, 2lt cooking oil, wheat products, oats, salt, spices, fruits and vegetables."
ashwani@khaleejtimes.com

• Abu Dhabi