The Covid-19 pandemic has made people more aware of the need to help those less fortunate than themselves, a UAE charity chief said.
Anne Edmondson, chairwoman of Gulf for Good, which helps poor children around the world, said she has noticed increased interest in her organisation in recent months.
“We are finding there is a bigger appetite from people to get involved, despite the continuing impact of Covid-19,” she said.
“Maybe it’s because the pandemic has given people time to reflect on what really matters in life and they want to make their actions count.”
The pandemic has given people time to reflect on what really matters in life and they want to make their actions count
Anne Edmondson
Gulf for Good, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, raises money for children in deprived areas by organising events such as hiking and mountain climbing on famous peaks such as Everest and Kilimanjaro.
Ms Edmondson said the eagerness of UAE residents to become involved had not declined despite the obvious hurdles the pandemic had created.
“Maybe it’s because there’s a greater urge to travel now because of the restrictions on movement since the pandemic began,” said Ms Edmondson, who juggles her job as a primary school teacher in Dubai with running the non-profit organisation.
“There’s always been a need to give as well, but maybe people are feeling there is more of a need than ever to help others.”
The organisation was founded in 2001 to raise funds to help buy an ambulance for a war-torn community in Namibia.
This resulted in 49 people climbing Kilimanjaro and raising enough money to buy four Land Rover ambulances in Kenya, Namibia and Tanzania.
In the ensuing decades, the group has organised more than 90 challenges in 27 countries in which about 1,600 people have taken part.
Participation in Gulf for Good events outside the UAE requires a contribution of Dh5,000 per person.
Almost $4 million was raised for 61 charities, and this has been used to build schools, hospitals, homes and playgrounds.
In 202, in the midst of the pandemic, Gulf for Good was still able to raise Dh600,000 for children around the world.
With international travel off-limits, Ms Edmondson and her team had to think outside the box to continue to raise money.
“We had to move to the virtual world and we organised a virtual run of Burj Khalifa, which has now become an annual event,” she said.
The event involves tower runners climbing almost 3,000 stairs to the 160th level of the world’s tallest building, with people able to take part remotely by using stairs in their own homes.
Now that travel restrictions are easing in many places, Gulf for Good has planned a number of events for later this year, including a climb to the Mount Everest base camp in October.
But Ms Edmondson said the uncertainty caused by the pandemic meant the organisation would focus many of its resources close to home in the short-term.
“We’ve had to take a hard look at where we are most likely going to be able to travel,” said Ms Edmondson, from Belfast, Northern Ireland.
“That has pushed us to having a regional focus because it’s more likely we’ll be able to travel without as many complications if we went further.”
Gulf for Good is planning to hold a bike ride in the eastern UAE in December.
That the charity organises events, rather than simply requiring cash donations, makes it an appealing prospect for many people, she said.
“The mission of Gulf for Good is we want to help children around the world have a happy and sustainable life,” she said.
“But the wellbeing aspect for people taking part is massive. They feel good about themselves for training and climbing the likes of Kilimanjaro.
“It’s very empowering.”
Another unlikely stream of revenue for the charity in the last year was its Thrift for Good spin-off, which helped to raise an average of Dh60,000 a month since opening on The Palm Jumeirah, in Dubai, last year.
“It’s a typical thrift store, like Oxfam back in Northern Ireland,” she said.
“Every man and his dog wanted to use it during the pandemic because people still needed to buy stuff even though they had lost jobs and money was tight.”
The store sells donated clothes that cost between Dh10 and Dh50 per piece.
Gulf for Good is also renowned for organising hikes in the Emirates in the winter season.
“We’ve grown quite a strong hiking community over the years,” Ms Edmondson said.
“We have a full programme ahead and it’s a good way to explore the UAE and the great outdoors.”
RESULTS
5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner Thabet Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Blue Diamond, Pat Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6.30pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Shoja’A Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Heros De Lagarde, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m
Winner Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Canada
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Ireland v Denmark: The last two years
Denmark 1-1 Ireland
7/06/19, Euro 2020 qualifier
Denmark 0-0 Ireland
19/11/2018, Nations League
Ireland 0-0 Denmark
13/10/2018, Nations League
Ireland 1 Denmark 5
14/11/2017, World Cup qualifier
Denmark 0-0 Ireland
11/11/2017, World Cup qualifier
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
FIXTURES
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Saturday
Fiorentina v Torino (8pm)
Hellas Verona v Roma (10.45pm)
Sunday
Parma v Napoli (2.30pm)
Genoa v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (8pm)
Juventus v Sampdoria (10.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Bologna (10.45om)
Playing September 30
Benevento v Inter Milan (8pm)
Udinese v Spezia (8pm)
Lazio v Atalanta (10.45pm)
Results
2pm: Handicap Dh 90,000 1,800m; Winner: Majestic Thunder, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Satish Seemar (trainer).
2.30pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,950m; Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
3pm: Handicap Dh105,000 1,600m; Winner: Native Appeal, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
3.30pm: Jebel Ali Classic Conditions Dh300,000 1,400m; Winner: Thegreatcollection, Adrie de Vries, Doug Watson.
4pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m; Winner: Oktalgano, Xavier Ziani, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4.30pm: Conditions Dh250,000 1,400m; Winner: Madame Ellingtina, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
5pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,600m; Winner: Mystery Land, Fabrice Veron, Helal Al Alawi.
5.30pm: Handicap Dh85,000 1,000m; Winner: Shanaghai City, Jesus Rosales, Rashed Bouresly.
Meg%202%3A%20The%20Trench
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBen%20Wheatley%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJason%20Statham%2C%20Jing%20Wu%2C%20Cliff%20Curtis%2C%20Page%20Kennedy%2C%20Cliff%20Curtis%2C%20Melissanthi%20Mahut%20and%20Shuya%20Sophia%20Cai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Francesco Totti's bio
Born September 27, 1976
Position Attacking midifelder
Clubs played for (1) - Roma
Total seasons 24
First season 1992/93
Last season 2016/17
Appearances 786
Goals 307
Titles (5) - Serie A 1; Italian Cup 2; Italian Supercup 2
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
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
How to get there
Emirates (www.emirates.com) flies directly to Hanoi, Vietnam, with fares starting from around Dh2,725 return, while Etihad (www.etihad.com) fares cost about Dh2,213 return with a stop. Chuong is 25 kilometres south of Hanoi.
The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
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
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
UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Final
Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, Friday, March 29, 5pm at The Sevens, Dubai
