00:00The Kerala Muslim Cultural Center volunteers serve one of the largest community iftars
00:09in Dubai.
00:10Dubai KMCC is one of the non-profit organizations in Dubai, one of the biggest and largest civil
00:16organizations.
00:17We have been established 45 years and we have more than 30,000 members of this organization.
00:24And every year we organize iftar for our people and also people who deserve for iftar.
00:31And every day more than 2,500 people are coming for iftar and having food here.
00:37This is part of our charity because a lot of people, a lot of laborers who doesn't have
00:41food for iftar and they're going for different masjid and different tents.
00:47So we thought we should have iftar for them in our premises as well.
00:51The 200 volunteers, divided into seven groups, ensure smooth distribution of iftar meals.
00:56And they are given color-coded t-shirts corresponding to the day of the week their group needs to
01:00lead the volunteering activities.
01:02I'm daily coming here between 3 to 8.30 and I'm serving the food and volunteering.
01:11We have seven teams, so we're calling this rainbow.
01:16So you're one of the volunteers?
01:19Yes, I'm the coordinator also, yellow team coordinator.
01:24No, my mind will be happy, I'm very happy because just we are doing the service only.
01:31Allah is giving, I'm giving the wealth and health, just we give the service only.
01:37We'll be happy, our mind will be happy.
01:39Even my family is also here.
01:41I'm working in Dubai for 25 years, but I'm everyday coming to Dubai camps here.
01:46I'm Mandalam vice-president also, but I like the volunteer team working, I'm very happy.
01:52Whenever I come to Dubai, I'm working with Dubai Camps.
01:56And for the last six years, I'm a volunteer of Dubai Camps.
02:00And I'm doing a maintenance business on my own.
02:04And every day, most of the days, I'm just coming 3, 3 o'clock, 3.30 like that, I'm coming here.
02:11And after everything is finished, how the area is like before,
02:19then we are just removing everything and cleaning.
02:23Everything is finished and we are just going out after 8.30 only.
02:27The volunteers come several hours before the Iftar guests arrive.
02:30At around 2.30 p.m., they start cutting fruits into pieces, mixing them and making small packages along with dates.
02:36Dozens of large vessels containing biryani are delivered by two catering companies by around 4.30 p.m.
02:41The volunteers then start laying the carpet and plastic sheets, and by 5.30, they are spreading the Iftar meal.
02:47Lieutenant Colonel Khalifa Ali Rashid from the Al-Muraqabat Police Station was on hand as the guest of honor.
02:53You see, this is something amazing to cover more than 2,000 people by yourself.
03:00This is something we are thankful for him.
03:07And also to put him in a queue and nothing happened, all they are good.
03:12This is important for us.
03:14The total seating capacity in the premises of the KMCC office is around 2,100.
03:19When the air-conditioned tent with a seating capacity of 600 is filled up with the early birds,
03:23the volunteers direct the rest of the people to the seating arrangements made in the courtyard.
03:27After the hustle and bustle of serving Iftar, volunteers, who are also worshippers observing fast,
03:32end the fast with just dates and water and have the full meal only once the cleaning is finished by 8 p.m.
03:38Logan Fish for Gulf News.
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