Since March this year, a small team of dedicated individuals have been working hard to raise funds for various charitable causes, and have come on leaps and bounds thanks to their community-based approach to giving.
And the Flea 4 Charity initiative has gained serious attention over recent weeks for its efforts in providing aid for labourers during Ramadan and, more recently, for raising funds for the food crisis in Somalia and its neighbouring African countries.
"Every two months, we decide on a cause to support, and sell donated, unwanted items at flea markets to raise funds," said Luz Villamil, co-founder of Flea 4 Charity. "Our first cause was over March and April, when we supported people affected by the Libyan revolution. Over those two months, we were able to raise over Dh10,000."
"For the second two months, we wanted to do something locally, so we decided to form a Ramadan initiative where we'd raise money for labour camp iftars. For that we were able to raise Dh15,000."
The Flea 4 Charity team organise collection drives every month, allowing anyone to donate any unwanted items, from clothes to electronics. These are then sold at the Dubai Flea Market days, which are held once a month at Safa Park, with all of the proceeds going towards charity. At the last market day, Flea 4 Charity managed to raise over Dh18,000, which will be donated to the Red Crescent charity to help with aid for East Africa.
"We did not expect so many to donate," said Villamil. "It was amazing. I think Dubai is a very, very charitable place. We’ve been so blessed with the help that we’ve received over here. People are always willing to give and in a place like Dubai, quite a few people have a lot to give."
Villamil and her team are currently accepting any unwanted items, and will be holding collection drives until the nineteenth of August. These items will then be sold at the next flea market day on the 20th. Again, the money raised from this market day will go towards the Red Crescent to help those suffering from famine in Somalia.
"With the East Africa crisis, we all felt compelled to do something. So we're holding bi-weekly charity sales for this cause, because the aid is so urgently needed," said Villamil.
And the Flea 4 Charity initiative has gained serious attention over recent weeks for its efforts in providing aid for labourers during Ramadan and, more recently, for raising funds for the food crisis in Somalia and its neighbouring African countries.
"Every two months, we decide on a cause to support, and sell donated, unwanted items at flea markets to raise funds," said Luz Villamil, co-founder of Flea 4 Charity. "Our first cause was over March and April, when we supported people affected by the Libyan revolution. Over those two months, we were able to raise over Dh10,000."
"For the second two months, we wanted to do something locally, so we decided to form a Ramadan initiative where we'd raise money for labour camp iftars. For that we were able to raise Dh15,000."
The Flea 4 Charity team organise collection drives every month, allowing anyone to donate any unwanted items, from clothes to electronics. These are then sold at the Dubai Flea Market days, which are held once a month at Safa Park, with all of the proceeds going towards charity. At the last market day, Flea 4 Charity managed to raise over Dh18,000, which will be donated to the Red Crescent charity to help with aid for East Africa."We did not expect so many to donate," said Villamil. "It was amazing. I think Dubai is a very, very charitable place. We’ve been so blessed with the help that we’ve received over here. People are always willing to give and in a place like Dubai, quite a few people have a lot to give."
Villamil and her team are currently accepting any unwanted items, and will be holding collection drives until the nineteenth of August. These items will then be sold at the next flea market day on the 20th. Again, the money raised from this market day will go towards the Red Crescent to help those suffering from famine in Somalia.
"With the East Africa crisis, we all felt compelled to do something. So we're holding bi-weekly charity sales for this cause, because the aid is so urgently needed," said Villamil.
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