An Emirati is using social media to unite communities who wish to help others during the coronavirus outbreak.
Now, hundreds of individuals, who are part of a WhatsApp group, are helping the most vulnerable survive the pandemic by feeding them.
It all started a couple of months ago when pangs of guilt began to haunt Aamer Al Yafei.
He was safe and healthy, in a secure and well-paid job, while thousands had lost theirs due to restrictions imposed in response to the outbreak.
He wanted to do something about it so the Abu Dhabi resident set up a WhatsApp group to connect those who needed food with ones who wanted to help.
I said I would make a WhatsApp group and we could help the community together
In time, it became known as the UAE Relief Initiative, a group that has since helped thousands of people who cannot afford to feed themselves.
“I woke up one day and I was feeling bad about what’s been going on. People have lost their jobs and cannot eat, they cannot buy food,” said Mr Al Yafei, 30.
“All their money is going towards rent. So, I got concerned. I felt it was unfair. I was comfortable when other people were living in difficulty.”
Not knowing where to begin, he put up a message on Facebook saying he was looking to help people in need. He also welcomed anyone who wanted to join him and support others.
“I said I would make a WhatsApp group and we could help the community together,” said Mr Al Yafei, who is a chemical engineer.
The group now has 500 members but the number of those who need their help far outstrip them.
“We have supported up to 7,000 people. But there are thousands we have not been able to help as well. It is crazy how many people there are who need aid. These are people who have not earned anything in months,” said Mr Al Yafei.
“A lot of them have families with young kids. So we are trying to get the children some essentials.”
The group arranges food deliveries for those in need, and also buys wholesale dry food in bulk and makes small packets for distribution.
“We have social media, Instagram and Facebook, where people reach out to us. People who have lost their jobs can tell us what they need,” said Mr Al Yafei.
Amir, who did not want to share his full name, is one of those who is being helped.
There are 23 members in his household, 10 of whom are children.
Four brothers had fended for the family but the outbreak affected their businesses. Three of them lost their jobs, leaving one with a salary of Dh4,000 to feed everyone.
The family has received help twice from the group.
“I was scrolling through Instagram and then I saw UAE Relief Initiative. I sent a direct message but was not even expecting anyone to look at it. But I got a response from Aamer to check on me. I explained and within a day, I received a gift card,” he said.
“We had nothing, literally. They helped me out so much.”
Being able to help people like Amir is very rewarding, especially during Ramadan, said Mr Al Yafei.
“I feel I’m serving a purpose,” he said.
“We’re trying to do more now because people are fasting and are hungry these days, so we are doing as much as we can.”
Mr Al Yafei said he wishes to help others, even in a post-corona world.
“We are thinking of doing other things in the future as we won’t really be dealing with people who are in need as they should be getting back to their jobs eventually,” he said.
“We are not sure yet, but something along the lines of mental health, getting some free seminars going and helping those in need, like people living in labour accommodations.”
Anyone who would like to join the group can do so by emailing uaereliefvolunteers@gmail.com
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
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Director: Stephen Gaghan
Stars: Robert Downey Jr, Michael Sheen
One-and-a-half out of five stars
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
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Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
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Chelsea 2
Willian 13'
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'Top Gun: Maverick'
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Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
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• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
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• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
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ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
