With lives around the world upturned by the coronavirus, sometimes it’s the small gestures that leave a lasting impact. Like receiving a handwritten, personalised note after a long shift that not only acknowledges your work but also thanks you for your courage and strength.
It’s this very idea that led Mumbai's Pooja Pradeep, who founded the global non-profit Letters of Love, to launch a new initiative – the #DearHeroes project.
"A friend of mine, Christopher Littlefield, checked in on a few nursing directors in the US and upon being told that his words of acknowledgement meant much to them, he thought of how letters could be a silver lining in their hectic days," she tells The National.
"He got in touch at a time when I was already figuring out the logistical nightmare of bringing human connection in a socially distanced world through handwritten letters."
Littlefield's feedback, Pradeep says, served as the "thrust" needed and on April 10, she launched the #DearHeroes Campaign. The concept allows people to email messages of gratitude to those fighting the pandemic on the front lines, with a team of volunteers handwriting the notes on to letters they then deliver to healthcare workers.
Scroll through the gallery below to see more from the Abu Dhabi arm of the project:
In Abu Dhabi, the #DearHeroes project is managed by Shruthi Vijayan, communications director for Letters of Love, and Arun Varghese, an operations manager. The pair reached out to Abu Dhabi Health Services (Seha), and on Thursday, April 16, received confirmation that the group would be happy to receive letters to distribute among healthcare workers.
“It all happened in a flash,” says Vijayan. “We didn’t have the resources needed to raise awareness about the initiative ourselves so we reached out to Blank Canvas Community which played a huge role in rallying the local community, and getting volunteers to write personalised messages for the frontline workers."
The messages came from volunteers themselves as well as from strangers all over the world who were able to send in submissions through the Letters of Love website.
"Thank you for sharing your time and energy with us – we appreciate it, stay strong," read one such message from a well-wisher in Egypt while another, from India, compared medical professionals to superheroes. "You are the real Avengers the world needs right now, thank you for your dedication in keeping us safe," it read.
Letters of Love also encouraged the use of upcycled or scrap paper when writing messages.
On April 28, Vijayan and Varghese travelled around Abu Dhabi, wearing masks and gloves, and collected the messages, which they had requested be properly handled and sanitised. The result? More than 5,000 letters – the largest number the non-profit has ever collected.
“Campaign ambassadors that deserve a special mention are Aysia Cornell who wrote 1,200 letters and Nicole Simoes who penned 500 letters for staff,” says Vijayan.
Seha officials collected the letters on April 29, and distributed them to workers at Abu Dhabi’s Corniche Hospital and Sheikh Khalifa Medical City.
Then, mid-May, they had a surprise for Letters of Love – pictures and videos that showed frontline workers, from nurses and doctors to hospital security, reading out or holding the letters.
“The reaction was amazing,” says Vijayan. “I think we all just need a little hope right now, especially those on the front line who are choosing to go in every day.
"We just wanted to make sure they are acknowledged for the work they are doing, and know that the rest of the world is not taking it for granted. With letters being a tangible, long-lasting reminder, we hope they will always remember that they made a difference."
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
THREE
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Canada
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Asia Cup 2018 final
Who: India v Bangladesh
When: Friday, 3.30pm, Dubai International Stadium
Watch: Live on OSN Cricket HD
Fitness problems in men's tennis
Andy Murray - hip
Novak Djokovic - elbow
Roger Federer - back
Stan Wawrinka - knee
Kei Nishikori - wrist
Marin Cilic - adductor
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Jawan
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Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Date: Sunday, November 25
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
- Look beyond school fees
- Keep an open mind
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
PROFILE BOX
Company name: Overwrite.ai
Founder: Ayman Alashkar
Started: Established in 2020
Based: Dubai International Financial Centre, Dubai
Sector: PropTech
Initial investment: Self-funded by founder
Funding stage: Seed funding, in talks with angel investors
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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