DUBAI // Ghaith Ismail loves to make people smile. Whether that includes doing chores for his parents around the house of distributing water to labourers, the 9-year-old Emirati is always happy to help.
Ghaith volunteers for dozens of charity projects and is a regular face at beach clean up days and spent Ramadan this year handing out food packets to tired motorists in time for iftar.
He was recently named as the youngest Emirati to be awarded the Sharjah Volunteer Award in the student category after taking part in more than 30 social welfare programmes in the last 12 months.
“I like to help people and the poor,” said Ghaith, a grade 4 student at Al Arqam School, whose parents and two older sisters are also keen volunteers.
“I like to ask my mother - when can we go help next? I put my own money in boxes for charity in shops and supermarkets. I like to make people smile, see the poor are happy.”
Ghaith has also taken part in fund raising walks and runs for diabetes and environmental awareness in Dubai, set aside toys and books for Sharjah charities, given construction workers water and snacks.
He also carefully sorts out paper, glass and plastic into recycling bins at home.
“Ghaith is very firm, he keeps reminding everyone - ‘No don’t put it all in the trash, there is another place for plastic, glass’,” said his mother Fatma Abdullah who has been taking her son along to clean up projects in parks and beaches since he was three.
“After we took him for a few programmes, he asked, ‘What time are we going again?’ My daughters also like to volunteer, but no one is as committed as Ghaith.”
Aiming to be an engineer with plans to design buildings, Ghaith enjoys building trains, cars and buses from plastic bottles and cardboard cartons.
“Some children in his school did not know about recycling until he spoke to his friends,” said Ghaith’s father Ismail Mohammed who works with the Dubai Health Authority.
“During Ramadan he wants to share food with workers so we distribute food in garages in Sharjah. He also collects medicine and clothes for poor people.”
The Sharjah Voluntary Award is presented annually by the Sharjah government to individuals, institutions and companies who volunteer time or money. It hopes to build a culture of volunteering among the young. About 10-14 school and university students are given medals and certificates annually.
“[Volunteering] is important for their skills, when they participate they become confident, learn group work, know what is happening in the world,” said Mahbooba Abdul Rahman who works with the SVA.
“When they grow up they can motivate their children to be volunteers.”
Ghaith’s mother instils an understanding in her children that success should be shared.
“I like it that Ghaith wants to help others. I tell my children that people we are giving food and water to have problems now. It’s important children understand you may have money today but may not in future so you should always help others.”
rtalwar@thenational.ae