David and I have just lived through our 10th Ramadan in Dubai – though it is a bit cheeky to say that we’ve “lived” through it. I don’t believe in any gods, so I have never regularly prayed, let alone five times a day. I’ve never fasted. And you can bet your bottom dollar that my thoughts and actions are as impure during the holy month of Ramadan as they are during the rest of the year.

But Ramadan still does have an impact on me. Personally Ramadan means not eating, drinking or chewing gum in public, and particularly in front of my Muslim colleagues during daylight hours. It means trying to remember not to play loud music, or sing and dance while I’m driving. It means toning down my swearing (which, believe it or not, is already pretty curtailed anyway). And it definitely means avoiding the roads just before sunset. Why? To clear the roads for thousands of exhausted, thirsty, hungry people who haven’t eaten or drunk anything for 14 hours, all driving with the sole purpose of getting home to break their fast. On the other hand, the city is deserted in the hour following sunset.  Because everyone is at home, or at the mosque, eating their Iftar meal.

And that’s actually the biggest part of Ramadan for me. The fact that Dubai’s population also consists of a lot of blue-collar workers who aren’t so well off. That so many hard-working men who contribute so much to the city live in labor accommodations and are not able to eat a very nutritious, or extravagant, meal to break their Ramadan fast. Which is why it’s become an annual tradition to get involved with the amazing work that my friend Roshni does

For those of you who don’t know, Roshni is Project Manager and Co–Founder of Care2Share, a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative run by Medulla under permit from the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department – Dubai, in partnership with the Emirates Red Crescent Society. Basically Care2Share exists to identify and support the needy in the UAE. I feel lucky to have met, and honoured to know, Roshni. She does incredible work all year round for the blue-collar workers in the country, particularly ramping up her efforts during Ramadan.

This year, David and I and several of our wonderful friends got involved and bought hearty, tasty and nutritious meals for 667 blue collar workers. I took a few pictures so that those who purchased an Iftar meal might see the gratitude of a worker and feel a connection to someone that they helped through their generosity. The world feels like a shitty place lately, but kindness and goodness do still exist. If you don’t believe me, just check out the pictures below.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.