Shopping for good: Emirates Red Crescent brings regional designers together for 2021 Ataya initiative

Emirates Red Crescent will launch its 2021 Ataya event this week, bringing together designers from around the world to raise money to be used for the training of medical staff.

Launching on Thursday, and running until May 31, the 11th Ataya event will have designers selling a number of unique and unusual items to raise funds for Emirates Red Crescent, which will be used to provide 200 fully funded training grants for nurses in India, the Philippines, Egypt, Albania, Bosnia, Mauritania and the UAE. Owing to Covid-19 restrictions, this year's event will be held entirely online.

Ataya, which is Arabic for giving, was established in 2012 by Emirates Red Crescent, under the patronage of Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan bin Mohammed. So far, it has raised more than Dh100 million for those in need.

This year, 35 companies will be part of the initiative, offering everything from food and fashion to homeware and art from the UAE and beyond. With many well-known names taking part, visitors can shop from the likes of Azza Showroom, with its range of mix-and-match jewellery charms, and Beirut jewellery brand L'Atelier Nawbar.

Those looking for homeware can browse Brazilian brand Bossa's range of decorated tableware, while Halla M by Halla Moghabghab offers striking metal serving dishes, bowls and platters. For a more traditional take, Al Ghadeer UAE Crafts uses traditional Emirati weaving techniques to create homeware items that are surprisingly modern, while Sheikha Hind bint Majed Al Qasimi's company Designed by Hind takes inspiration from the Tumenah ceremony (which celebrates a child reciting the Quran) as a motif for her chinaware.

Jordanian food brand Kama will also be present, bringing an array of Jordan's delicacies, while Lebanese brand KanZamon Arts & Crafts will offer a broad range of Levantine handicrafts, including fashion, homeware, paintings and sculptures.

Also taking part is Inaash, a Lebanese non-profit that provides financial support to Palestinian families living in camps in Lebanon. By training women to embroider goods using traditional Palestinian techniques, it offers an income as well as the survival of these unique skills.

To date, Inaash has helped more than 2,000 women, and there are currently 400 women across five camps working to embellish a wide range of products such as shawls, jackets, abayas, clutch bags, homeware and accessories.