The UAE's "We Stand Together" initiative will deliver 1,200 tonnes of food, health and general hygiene items, including 30,000 food kits, as part of relief efforts for flood victims in Pakistan.
The UAE has been among the first countries to provide emergency support to the affected people, and the relief kits will be delivered to Pakistan urgently.
The community volunteering event saw citizens and residents of all ages and nationalities gather at three locations across the country, including Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center (ADNEC), Expo City Dubai and Expo Center Sharjah, and pack the relief kits in four hours.
As part of this community event, volunteers were grouped into various teams to support the packing of two types of relief kits, including food supplies and hygiene kits.
Food supplies included items such as flour, rice, lentils, and oil, among other non-perishable items, while the hygiene kits contained essential toiletries for women and children such as diapers, sanitary napkins and soaps, amongst others.
The "We Stand Together" initiative was launched by Emirates Red Crescent (ERC), Dubai Cares and Sharjah Charity International in close coordination with the Ministry of Community Development (MoCD) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) in the UAE, with the support of nine other UAE humanitarian organizations including Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment, The Big Heart Foundation, Dar Al Ber, International Humanitarian City, UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia UAE), Sharjah Charity House, International Charity Organisation and Emirates Charitable Association.
Dr. Tariq Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of Dubai Cares, said, "The UAE has a long history of supporting countries in crisis and the resounding success of the "We Stand Together" nationwide volunteering initiative is a clear reflection of the country's humanitarian values. The coming together of hundreds of volunteers of all ages and nationalities and from all parts of the country to support Pakistan during this time highlights the deep-rooted culture of generosity and compassion that the UAE community proudly shares. We extend our heartfelt thanks to all the volunteers for committing their time and efforts to this initiative and turning it into another UAE success story."
Young volunteers also came forward and placed positive messages inside the relief kits to support the families affected by this devastating natural disaster.
"We learnt about what was happening in Pakistan and wanted to support through the "We Stand Together" initiative. What's happening in the country is really sad. We were happy to contribute to this initiative by writing positive and motivational messages for the people affected by the floods as they really need all our support during this time," said Tia Aljayyusi and Sophia Taha, Grade 11 students from Dubai International Academy.
"We are all seeing what's happening in Pakistan, and so many of our friends' relatives have been affected. In fact, one of my friends' parents were displaced due to the floods, and the rescue team had to find them. During this time, we all need to come together and support Pakistan as we are one global family. I am also proud to be a resident of the UAE, where we can do something to help by supporting initiatives like "We Stand Together"," said Fadi Alsayegh, a young doctor living in the UAE."
Thank you to our #volunteers for supporting and sending love to the people of #Pakistan #UAEWithPakistan#الإمارات_مع_باكستان@ExpoCityDubai pic.twitter.com/qHIsxD0FxH
— Dubai Cares (@DubaiCares) September 10, 2022
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