To ALL Emirates, Etihad, Fly Dubai & Freight Dogs in the UAE

[SassyPilotsWife]

As an expat and someone who works hard to "give back" to the community where I live, I am hoping you can all join me in this quest:

In the next month, I would like to ask that any and all crew members in the UAE, begin collecting any hotel soaps, shampoos, sew kits, tissues, toothpaste, deodorants, BOTTLED WATER etc. I want to create goody bags for the laborers in the area. I would like to collect, create the bags and distribute as many as humanly possible during Ramadan. This is our chance to give back to those who, without their work, none of us would be here.

We may not all agree on life here but I'll tell ya one thing, our lives are 1,000 times better than theirs and what small amount they can receive in these bags will make a huge difference on them financially. I'm sure that some of the airlines such as EK have projects where donations and fund raising events are ongoing, but I also know that the above items which are no cost to us and often collected or left, could be given directly to these men.

If any of your wives or significant others are interested in assisting with this, I certainly welcome the help and look forward to beginning this aviation families outreach project. It would be great to have a couple of central pick up locations for a weekly or bi weekly pick up in areas such as DSO, JBR or HQ for each airline or anywhere you guys deem fit.

If this becomes successful enough during Ramadan, I will make this a quarterly or if able to, a monthly project. If anyone reading this has experience in something like this and would be interested in making it larger scale or assist in organizing it, please drop me a PM. If you're interested in being a company rep/collector to collect the items from all your airline's crew (both cabin and flight deck) or donating other items such as dry goods etc.. I can begin a donation schedule to include pick up times and locations.

Thanks,
SPW

[jackbauer]

Noble ambition however a warning that taking any amenities, even a pen from an aircraft can get you fired in most ME airlines. Do what you can but don't cross the line.

[Ashling]

since when did "jackbauer" worry about crossing the line?

[SassyPilotsWife]

Jack,
While it is very noble of you to warn others..

"begin collecting any hotel soaps, shampoos, sew kits, tissues, toothpaste, deodorants, BOTTLED WATER etc."

Guys, please don't let this turn into a "I hate the middle east thread" lord knows there are enough of them on here. It's not about that. It's about giving back or simply paying it forward.

Why is it that those who left for " greener pastures" keep returning to M/E threads to spread their maneur ? :ugh:

[LLuke]

Why should hotel's pay for this?

Although a noble idea, it would be better to raise the wages or to increase government benefits (==increase taxes) for the poor to be able to maintain a minimum life standard.

[mutt]

Why should hotel's pay for this? Hotels supply amenities to their guests, these products therefore are mine to use as I see fit..... Sassy's idea is extremely generous and I wish her the best.......

Mutt

[r0v3r]

Ashling, spot on. I really laughed at this one.

As for the thread, I admire your desire to help the labourers, and I really support it, but I doubt it will last for a while.

I'm optimistic that it can be done in the Ramadan, but a monthy project seems hard to achieve.

Good luck though, I'll definitively contribute once a place for these stuff to be collected is announced.

[givemewings]

Sassy, I've been doing this for a little while with the hotel 'goodies' as well, there is an organisation called Helping Hands UAE who would be very grateful for these kinds of donations. The lady who runs it gets her hubby to organise collections at various locations.

They give these items not only to labourers but also maids who have had to leave employers due to abuse and any others in Dubai who find themselves in need of a few little things like these.

Perhaps you could link up with them and direct the things you collect their way, as it seems they have the infrastructure in place already to distribute these items to those in need? If you have a few in your area collecting I'm sure they'd be happy to drop by once a month or so to pick up what you have stored away.

HelpingHandsUAE (http://www.helpinghandsuae.com/index.htm)

The news part hasn't been updated recently but they are quick to respond if you use the Contact form to send an email. Hope this helps!! :ok:

[tom14cat14]

If you can do this it is a good idea. My airline in the USA has done this where they collect hotel soaps and such because they usually put put out more then you need.

[SassyPilotsWife]

It's all good A380 :) So what I'm hearing is that you will donate 5 years worth :ok:

Hubby came home this morning with a story that was in The Gulf I believe of a girl who collects books and resells them with the proceeds going to laborers in the area. It was a good story. Too bad though that the paper didn't offer any information as how to contact her so I am trying to do that now.

I am familiar with Helping Hands. I corresponded with them last year about branching out into Al Ain. There were a few of us that collected the " shoe box's" and they were delivered to HH in DXB. I was able to hit up my guys at Strata and they were helpful. And as it stands, HH is exactly who I am going to consult with on this once I've begun collecting. I don't want to begin delivering these bags to sites and/or tents that have already received items. I live in RAK and there is alot of construction going on here. That could be just one place to start. So far I have another EK wife who is on board with me. I will advise everyone once we have a collection location for her. She lives in DXB.

I would be happy to hear if you guys think it would be or not be a good idea to have a drop off at your HQ ( any airline)? I am prepared to call on them. I have a client who flies for EK who's wife is a former pilot and see if she's interested in collecting in DSO. I will keep you guys updated. Thanks again for the support. It might take a couple of years to get this off the ground but I'm up for the challenge. Each day I drive past the construction site seeing these guys lined up after work is motivation without a doubt.

In the meantime, please start stocking up!

SPW

[Jetaim]

Your charity initiatives are really pathetic as it is in general your "sassy" culture...or lack of one there off. You cash on slavery and then can't sleep at night ? Have hubby buy some more booze but leave alone the laborers with your Hilton shampoo.You are the cause of their suffering.. don't you realize it?

[Gulfstreamaviator]

keep taking the meds, they will work eventually.

wtf glf

[blablabla]

Just because their lives are different to you own doesnt mean their lives are bad...go to India, Pakistan, China, Africa, South America, Bagladesh, Russia,
Many millions of people living without what you have...but living happy lives. Almost 90% of Indians live in what you would consider slums with no running water or electricity washing and cooking in the street. But that doesnt mean they are suffering, just living a different kind of life.
So take your Prada handbag and your Aircon SUV you drive around the shopping malls whilst your Husband is at work and shove it up your pathetic beauty parloured bleached ring.
Get in the real world and open your eyes, Life is not fair and will always be survival of the fittest and your pathetic to suggest these people who are working for a living to send money home to support their families and pay for their house or their childrens education are suffering.
Running round your Sassy friends asking them to collect Sheraton shower caps you stupid women they cant eat or spend that **** can they so they will not be bothered by your bar of soap offerings.
You Madame are a complete Vile Turd

[givemewings]

Now where's the "dont feed the troll" icon when you need it?? (Going ahead anyway, lol)

I think we're all mature enough to realise one can't eat soap, however any 'extras' that can be given to those who want/need them means more money to be spent on essentials like food and so on... It's not only labourers this type of thing is aimed at, but also as mentioned maids who have left employers and staying in temporary lodgings or with friends, people who for whatever reason are left without possessions and would actually be grateful for a few simple things like toiletries.

Not everyone in need is "suffering", as you put it, but any thing that may give people a little comfort is usually welcome. If people didn't want or need these items there wouldn't be requests for them. Whether you think they're useful or not is irrelevant; let those who receive them decide whether it's worth their time or not.

FWIW, not all women living in Dubai swan about the mall with a Prada handbag and get their nails done, there are a lot of caring ladies (and men) who actually do want to try make some kind of difference.

I think perhaps that you are the one who needs to 'open your eyes' and see that while, yes, most labourers and construction workers here are just earning an honest living to support their families, there ARE those who fit the definition of 'suffering'- left with illnesses by uncaring employers, companies who fold and run off with the money leaving them stranded, ones who endure shocking conditions in the camps. They are here and it does happen, to pretend otherwise means you are just as blind as you suggest the original poster is.

It's getting people into the mindset of even being aware that not everyone in Dubai is here having a nice time that's the most important thing here, not what items are given or assistance rendered. The fact that it's happening should be a start.

" A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.."

[Trader]

Just to add---look at any major city in the world and there are groups who do the EXACT same thing for various women's shelters, homeless shelters etc etc etc.

People trying to help people!!!

[SassyPilotsWife]

Out of 100,000 sperm, you were the fastest ?

[ETOPS240]

You have to remember that they were the fastest of 100,000, but the other 99,999 also came from the same family tree. Not a great achievement, by all accounts.

I'm not in your neck of the woods, but I take great pride in helping those less fortunate where and when I can. I wish you all the best, it's a wonderful gesture, and it will improve the quality of life of many. To these poor folk, a small set of toiletries is a huge financial burden lifted. Good for you SPW.

:ok:

[r0v3r]

I seriously don't realize how people can be so self-obsessed and retarded.

You are actually flaming a person like this, for wanting to help? Seriously, you have major mental issues. I assure you, if you live 1 week the way these people have lived the last couple of years, you would be saying to each and every person you speak, how much you suffer and so forth.

If you actually say these people don't suffer, they just work here to feed their families back home, would you bother to explain why the suicide rate of these laborers is so high? B******e statements how the fittest survive are unnecessary. No one deserves what these people have been trough. And It's not their fault that life hasn't been as good as it might have been for you

And once again, when you start doing 13-14 hours straight, such physical work as most of them do, under these temperatures, then you go back to the camp, where you share a room with 8 more people, where you don't have a sewer, and your s***e go straight on the street, doing this every single day, for some crap amount of money, than you can define whether this is suffer or not. But as long as you live your life in even slightly better conditions than these people do, don't you bother explaining how their lifestyle is different, and that they do not suffer, because believe me, they do in such amounts you can't even imagine.

And for flaming, and insulting the author of this thread you just show how pathetic and self-obsessed you are. They are people out there who are actually willing to help, you should realize that.

Flame me as much as you want to, I won't bother reading it at all.

- Steve

[SassyPilotsWife]

I have 4 who are in DXB that can collect. I am going to arrange drop off points or I will personally come and collect what you have to offer. I want to collect in week 2 of Ramadan and week 4 of Ramadan. I know we all have crazy schedules so adjusting may be necessary. I don't mind at all. If anyone has a name of someone at either EK or somewhere you feel may be beneficial as a drop off point, please advise. I do have an EK wife who has generously offered to assist and be a drop off point. She has already posted in her community but has not gotten much response. We realize alot of your families have gone home for the summer and with your schedules, it's hard to go trekking thru Dubai so I am working on some businesses to offer their doors as drop off points. As I said in the email to her, this year, it might only be 50 bags, but its more than we may have given last year. It doesn't always have to be the toiletries etc. Next year it could be anything beneficial.

Steve, YOU ROCK !

[jinglied]

.. I thought this was a forum about aviation. Some other threads were "scuttled" because they weren't about aviation ..

Jinglie'd

[givemewings]

I can think of some:

The thread is addressed to airline crew throughout the UAE.

Airline crew frequently go on layovers & stay in hotels.

The topic was about bringing back unused (included) hotel items to be given to charity.

A pilot's wife started the post.

It will be pilots and cabin crew contributing items, to be collected by pilots and their friends/spouses to be given to said charity.

There's quite a bit more aviation content on there than some other threads which have remained.

And perhaps, the moderators have a bit of heart & allow it to remain because it's not a selfish, self-serving thread like so many others??

[givemewings]

Went through bags of toiletries last night and had no idea I'd got so many, they really do add up wuite quickly!!

SPW, I spoke to E at Helping Hands and she mentioned that they are making some Iftar boxes for labourers who are low on food supplies this month, apparently the demand is crazy and the guys are very very happy to receive these, so if there's some of you out there who don't have a stash of toiletries or other similar items but are looking for a way to help someone in need, this could be it.

Just google HelpingHandsUAE for the contact details.

Can you PM details of pickups please, am going to see if any others in my building have anything to give as well. Cheers

[Jetaim]

I went to speak personally to a few indian laborers.
They would really like a decent wage, their passports back in their hands and a chance to go home to see their families at least twice a year.
They also told me to tell you that you can take your soaps, deodorants shampoo etc etc..and stick it up your sassy arses.
I hope this closes the case.

[givemewings]

We're not saying everyone needs this stuff but there ARE people who do. I'll take the word over a long standing charity organisation than some stranger such as yourself.


They would really like a decent wage,Hmmmm.... well how about YOU make the start and donate some of your (in comparison to theirs) astronomical pilot wages and put your money where your mouth is. Somehow I don't think you would, but I'd be happy to be proven wrong. :ugh: