In addition to fasting from sunrise to sunset and performing self-reflection, for those observing Ramadan, the act of giving Sadaqah — charitable giving — is also a common practice.

Two weeks ago, in the spirit of Ramadan, 29 NYU Abu Dhabi students and staff, together with more than 70 community volunteers, prepared and distributed care packages for 330 women workers, many of whom are employed in Abu Dhabi's service industry.

NYUAD junior Clara Bicalho Maia Correia was one of the volunteers who helped to pack donated items, such as food, drinks, and personal hygiene products, into gift bags for the women. "I was eager to engage with a community outside of downtown Abu Dhabi, and to help support this event," Correia said.

Besides helping with the packing, when the group later distributed the packages, Correia was on hand to take photos with a polaroid camera — a popular activity. "Many of the ladies came after me for a picture with their friends. Others wanted me to take individual pictures so that they could send them to their families back home," she said.

For NYUAD staffer Alex Heald, volunteering provided the joy of being able to give back to the community. "I used to do a lot of community outreach back in New York City, and I think it's great to take advantage of such opportunities here too." And, Correia added, "It was very touching to see volunteers from different communities coming together to help out."

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