You can now do your bit for charity this Ramadan by creating a video on social networking platform TikTok.
The video-sharing service has joined the Reach Campaign, an Emirates Red Crescent-organised drive that targets neglected tropical diseases, as its latest media partner. TikTok has pledged to donate $2 (Dh7) for every video created on the app, up to a maximum of $100,000.
The Reach Campaign launched in January and uses the theme Give 2, Save 2 – meaning that a Dh2 donation is enough to provide medicine and treatment to protect one person against both diseases for an entire year.
During Ramadan, however, the campaign set a goal of protecting one million people from river blindness over the course of the holy month.
TikTok users can contribute by creating videos using three special interactive "Reach Campaign stickers", or donating directly to the cause through links on the campaign’s in-app landing page.
TikTok will also run in-app advertisements shedding light on river blindness, and has encouraged several high-profile public figures to take part in the challenge.
Social media influencers Max of Arabia, Khalid and Salama Al Ameri, Abas, and Mona Sheikh have so far created #ReachTheEnd videos.
What is river blindness?
More than 200 million people worldwide require treatment for river blindness, one of the leading causes of preventable blindness. It is caused by repeated bites by black flies that live near flowing water.
Like many neglected tropical diseases, river blindness disproportionately affects the world’s most vulnerable people, trapping their families in cycles of poverty. Most of the cases are found in 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
"We are excited to launch a new element to the campaign in collaboration with an innovative partner such as TikTok. Allowing the community to participate creatively while helping reach the end of river blindness has truly inspired users to join our campaign.
"We are honoured to see the inventive ways people continue to show their support from the comfort of their own homes," Nassar Abdul Raouf Al Mubarak, managing director of the Reach Campaign said.
In addition to TikTok videos, the month-long Reach Ramadan campaign follows a simple three-step challenge: the community is encouraged to donate by either texting GIVE to 2424, visiting the Reach the End website, or posting a selfie on social media making a "V for victory over river blindness" sign with their hands, and challenging friends and family to do the same by by tagging them.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Marathon results
Men:
1. Titus Ekiru(KEN) 2:06:13
2. Alphonce Simbu(TAN) 2:07:50
3. Reuben Kipyego(KEN) 2:08:25
4. Abel Kirui(KEN) 2:08:46
5. Felix Kemutai(KEN) 2:10:48
Women:
1. Judith Korir(KEN) 2:22:30
2. Eunice Chumba(BHR) 2:26:01
3. Immaculate Chemutai(UGA) 2:28:30
4. Abebech Bekele(ETH) 2:29:43
5. Aleksandra Morozova(RUS) 2:33:01
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm
Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto
Price: from Dh209,000
On sale: now
MATCH INFO
Kolkata Knight Riders 245/6 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 214/8 (20 ovs)
Kolkata won by 31 runs
