"You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you." These were the wise words once written by 17th century English writer John Bunyan.

Every Ramadan, the act of charity fills all nooks and corners of the UAE. However, some individuals go the extra mile with the spirit of giving. Thirty-year-old Afra Al Dhaheri is one Emirati who truly believes in these words, saying that it is in her "blood" to help the community as much as she can.

The animal rescuer and founder of Cloud9 Pet Hotel and Care, told Khaleej Times that charity and compassion are her ultimate passion, and is, therefore, making the most of The Year of Giving during the holy month of Ramadan.

Al Dhaheri has various initiatives up her sleeves, including helping find homes for the neglected and abandoned animals in the UAE Capital, as well as feeding a whopping number of 6,000 workers Iftar.

You may wonder: Why does Afra love helping strangers who may never even encounter her again? "Helping people is in my blood, I always like to put people ahead of me, animals ahead of me - this is just something that I do without thinking twice about it.

"Some people tell me that I need to take care of myself first, although I believe we should take care of those in need the most."

Caring for the needy is certainly something that runs in the veins of many Emirati men and women. After all, the Father of the nation, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, often spoke about the importance of giving and showing genuine care for those around us. The founder of the UAE once said: "To treat every person, no matter what his creed or race, as a special soul, is a mark of Islam."

Al Dhaheri said she is looking forward to fulfilling her goal by putting a smile on the faces of 6,000 workers by the end of this year's Ramadan. "Every Ramadan we try to feed as many people as we can."

Last Ramadan, Al Dhaheri, along with her employees and customers, helped feed 5,300 people, mainly in the industrial area of Mussafah. "We usually focus on Mussafah, but now we are trying to find reach more areas."

She said every Dh10 feeds one person, adding: "Some people really want to help and give the workers food, but they feel shy or worried they are offending them.

"The employees and customers know this is a tradition we do every year and they contribute and donate from their hearts," she added.

The young ambitious woman and entrepreneur also advises families to not waste food, as Iftar tables often turn into feasts and are overloaded with dishes. "I highly advise people to take left-over food to mosques or construction sites. The people you will feed will be so happy. "Firstly, you will save food from going down the bin, and secondly, you are providing a free meal for someone else." She said that her mother also cooks meals for the workers at the mosque near her house, and has been doing so every Ramadan throughout the years.

"Seeing the labourers working in the heat makes me feel sad. I always put myself in their shoes, and ask: What if he is eating alone, what if he can't afford a meal?

"But they need to know that there are people looking out for them. The mosques in the UAE provide food, and people everywhere are doing the same thing that I am doing.

"They need to know that they are never alone."

Source: Khaleej Times