SHARJAH // Volunteers are becoming more scarce in the UAE, according to a survey, with everything from increasing materialism to the recession and traffic problems blamed for the shortage.
The Emirates Sociological Association, which carried out the survey, says the number of volunteers has been dropping since the mid-1990s, making life difficult for public institutions that depend on their input.
The association's general secretary, Ibrahim Ubaid, said the poll showed the biggest problem was that people had less free time because of steadily increasing "materialistic" pursuits, tougher economic conditions and heavy traffic.
"I've been working in this association on a voluntary basis since 1989," he said. "Until the beginning of the 1990s, the volunteers at the association had done massive work but later we noticed a big decline in numbers and efforts, not only in our association but in all other associations in the country."
As prices increased, people focused more on paid work that helped them meet the higher costs of living, he added.
"There are several governmental institutions that are understaffed and could not hire more and more people. This materialistic attitude towards work is a setback to voluntary work and consequently to development."
He said the Government had done a lot for its people and it was time they repaid the effort.
While "urgent and immediate" voluntary work remained popular, he said, people hesitated to make longer-term commitments.
However, Maytha al Habsi, director of the Takatof Programme for Social Volunteering, disputes the claims that the number of volunteers is decreasing.
She argues that, in fact, more people are volunteering their time to good causes but the demand for volunteers is increasing at an even higher rate.
"There are a number of needs in the UAE where volunteers can play an important role," she said. "Things like road safety, health awareness and the environment. "As the population here grows, these needs will only get bigger. At the same time, we think it's also important to keep our cultural traditions alive, so volunteering for arts and heritage has a role as well."
She added: "Some of our volunteers work with government and civil society institutions to organise national events like awareness campaigns, conferences, sporting events and cultural activities. Others work directly with people in need. There is a real need for social volunteering, particularly for areas that are not covered by government programmes, like spending time with isolated elderly residents or befriending children with special needs.
"Besides, there are many needs beyond our own borders that the people of the UAE can help address."
Meanwhile, Al Anood Buseem al Abdool, the head of volunteers at the Friends of Cancer Patients Society, said people nowadays were less interested and motivated to volunteer than they were decades ago.
She attributed the change in attitude, in part, to their not being encouraged to volunteer while at school or university.
She advocated a remedy: "The Government should enforce laws in the educational curriculum that would allow a student to participate in volunteer work of his/her own choice and for hours of credit during the summertime or the springtime holidays."
She said that volunteer work was not merely a matter of being active and trying to embellish a CV but was instead "a noble cause to help people in our community who are in need of us and so we act as 'angels of social change' in whatever the cause may be".
Musbah Adnan Abu Jarad, a pre-qualification engineer with Aldar Properties, said the sense of volunteerism did not emerge suddenly but was the cumulative result of a willingness to feel for other people and to help them. "Yet you can and have to do your best to spread the voluntary spirit and ideas to everyone around you, starting from your family members," he said, adding that families had a big role in instilling in their children a positive attitude towards society.
"One of the events that I'll never forget was participating in a campaign for correcting the shop signboards in my town in a wider campaign that was organised for the preservation of Arabic language."
Enrolling at the American University of Sharjah gave him the chance to embrace its voluntary spirit and efforts.
"Along with some of my mates, we established the university environmental club, and participated in lots of exhibitions and events for promoting the ideas of preserving and keeping our environment."
He said social networking sites such as Facebook were vital tools for getting the message out.
Hessa al Romaithi, a 22-year-old Emirati student at Zayed University, said another issue affecting volunteer rates was the opposition by some families.
"There are many girls who would love to volunteer, but their families don't allow them," she said.
"We can't blame the families because the idea of volunteers is a bit new in the UAE."
@Email:hhassan@thenational.ae
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
SUZUME
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Makoto%20Shinkai%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Nanoka%20Hara%2C%20Hokuto%20Matsumura%2C%20Eri%20Fukatsu%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
A4 35 TFSI
Engine: 2.0-litre, four-cylinder
Transmission: seven-speed S-tronic automatic
Power: 150bhp
Torque: 270Nm
Price: Dh150,000 (estimate)
On sale: First Q 2020
A4 S4 TDI
Engine: 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 350bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh165,000 (estimate)
On sale: First Q 2020
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3ECompany%20name%3A%20CarbonSifr%3Cbr%3EStarted%3A%202022%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Onur%20Elgun%2C%20Mustafa%20Bosca%20and%20Muhammed%20Yildirim%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Climate%20tech%3Cbr%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%241%20million%20raised%20in%20seed%20funding%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E680hp%20at%206%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E800Nm%20at%202%2C750-6%2C000rpm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERear-mounted%20eight-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E13.6L%2F100km%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Orderbook%20open%3B%20deliveries%20start%20end%20of%20year%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh970%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
'Moonshot'
Director: Chris Winterbauer
Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse
Rating: 3/5
Kill%20
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NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Zombieland: Double Tap
Director: Ruben Fleischer
Stars: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone
Four out of five stars
Why are you, you?
Why are you, you?
From this question, a new beginning.
From this question, a new destiny.
For you are a world, and a meeting of worlds.
Our dream is to unite that which has been
separated by history.
To return the many to the one.
A great story unites us all,
beyond colour and creed and gender.
The lightning flash of art
And the music of the heart.
We reflect all cultures, all ways.
We are a twenty first century wonder.
Universal ideals, visions of art and truth.
Now is the turning point of cultures and hopes.
Come with questions, leave with visions.
We are the link between the past and the future.
Here, through art, new possibilities are born. And
new answers are given wings.
Why are you, you?
Because we are mirrors of each other.
Because together we create new worlds.
Together we are more powerful than we know.
We connect, we inspire, we multiply illuminations
with the unique light of art.
Ben Okri,
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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