DUBAI, 30th July, WAM/ Her Excellency Hessa bint Issa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, chaired the first meeting of the National Opportunities Working Group for Volunteering during Crises, which included representatives from the National Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Authority and the Emirates Foundation, as well as a number of entities concerned with supporting volunteering efforts at the state level.
During the meeting, the Minister of Community Development directed the development of a plan for the next phase to address the effects of rain and torrential rain in the eastern regions with regard to the rehabilitation and cleaning of the affected areas by volunteers and in cooperation with the competent authorities.
This came in the wake of the launch of the “Together Hand in Hand” campaign to clean the streets and affected areas in the Emirate of Fujairah, in coordination with the Fujairah government.
During the meeting, he announced the recruitment of more than 500 registered and trained volunteers through the national volunteer platform “Volunteers.ae” to participate in the campaign, which begins today and continues until the goals set are achieved, in cooperation with the National Emergency, Crisis and Disasters Authority, the Emirates Red Crescent Authority, the Ministry of Interior and the Emirates Foundation Fujairah Municipality and Fujairah Works Department.
During the meeting, the role of volunteers in supporting national efforts and confirming their readiness during the next stage was discussed. And to commend their missions that enhance national and development achievements and reflect the vision of the UAE government and the leadership’s directives to work with a forward-looking vision that keeps pace with the future trends in the UAE.
The meeting stressed the importance of benefiting from experiences, challenges and lessons in a way that always ensures readiness to overcome various future challenges.
In the same context and within the efforts of the Ministry of Community Development, in cooperation with various federal and local government agencies, the private sector and civil society, to shelter families affected by rain and torrential rain in the eastern regions of the country to temporary shelter sites in a number of hotels and hotel apartments in the neighboring regions and emirates, the Ministry has strengthened its field efforts with exceptional services performed A number of volunteers to support the transportation and service of the affected families.
The Ministry, in cooperation with the Emirates Foundation, provided 145 registered, trained and qualified volunteers in the “National Volunteering Platform” to organize and speed up the process of transferring, securing and serving the affected families.
Volunteers play an important role from every morning until evening through the call center launched by the ministry to communicate with the affected families by targeting 3,983 senior citizens and people of determination to check on them, ask regarding their needs and requirements, ensure their safety and work urgently to secure all their needs, including shelter.
The volunteers began making contacts since yesterday, Friday, and completed 1,300 calls through the call center with senior citizens and people of determination from families affected by the floods in the eastern regions. The urgent needs were identified and coordinated with the concerned authorities to provide all the requirements for these families.
A number of volunteers also play an important logistical role by helping transport the affected people in four-wheel drive vehicles, as well as buses and vehicles provided by the various stakeholders to transport and secure families in those areas.
The volunteers also take care of and follow-up families following they are transferred to hotel housing units in the emirates of Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Ajman and Dubai, especially families of senior citizens, children, and families who do not have a breadwinner or need help during the emergency shelter period.
Volunteers from the Ministry of Community Development follow up on families from the moment they leave the affected area until they reach the hotel facilities. They also provide food, medicine and clothes on a daily basis to residents of hotel establishments from the affected families.
