Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor offers support for Emirati families, iftar meals to workers during Ramadan 2020

An excess of 45,000 iftar meals to be distributed at worker accommodations through Dubai Police

Meer cards to help more than 150 Emirati families and individuals in need

DUBAI, UAE

Sallam Sallam

Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, Founding Chairman of Al Habtoor Group (AHG) has announced a slew of charitable activities and programmes during the Holy Month of Ramadan, with the aim of spreading positivity and reflecting on the values of community and tolerance in a challenging period.

Al Habtoor, a renowned philanthropist businessman, will provide daily iftar meals to workers residing in labour accommodations across Dubai. To be organised and distributed in the restricted movement and quarantine areas by the Dubai Police force, the 45,000 meals are a special gesture to the thousands of men and women who work tirelessly and keep the emirate functioning smoothly even in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak.

As the UAE and the world readies to welcome Ramadan this year while dealing with a pandemic, and public movements remain restricted during the 24-hour National Sterilisation Programme, Al Habtoor is focusing on ways to support families and the wider community through discount cards for the need, under the aegis of the Al Farooq Omar Bin Al Khattab Mosque & Center (AFMC).

Meer cards will be distributed to more than 150 Emirati individuals and families this year, enabling them to avail of free food and provision purchases at outlets through the prepaid cards. These cards are set to bring the total relief provided to families over the last years to 1.7 million AED.

Al Habtoor said: “This year takes on special meaning as we rely on our faith, strength and God’s direction to get through this challenging period. We will focus on our traditions of peace, understanding and tolerance this Ramadan, extending our help to the needy and our foreign workers who spare no effort in building and maintaining our beautiful country.”

At AFMC, religious lesson sessions by Sheikh Dr Fares Al Mustafa, the Religious and Cultural Affairs Advisor of the mosque, offering guidance and direction to the faithful, will be a daily feature after the Al Asir prayer. Special video clips from past years will be posted regularly across the mosque’s social media platforms, reinforcing messages about the UAE’s culture and Islamic values.

In the spirit of giving, AFMC will also distribute electronic and printed Ramadan calendars to be distributed widely, for the public to keep track of and adhere to. The free e-calendar, launched for the first time in the UAE, features a detailed Ramadan 2020 timetable with daily prayer, imsak and iftar timings, and is supported in both English and Arabic. The special e-calendar, a green initiative that reduces paper use, also helps in maintaining the current need for contactless methods during the COVID-19 outbreak.