Shoebox Appeal

When we first arrived in Dubai, I was trying to find out more about Ace's school over the internet and while researching, I came across some sort of article about how the students of Horizon School put in some items into a shoebox and donated them to the workers who are working in the construction industry here in dubai...

A few months later, while accompanying Max to his weekday soccer game, I realized that many of these workers stay in dormitories and that they were all living in a very small space.. I read an article that talked about how badly they were treated and I guess, it must have been tough for them to work in a desert where they had to work under the 40 degree hot sun...

Some months later, we recieved a notice that they were collecting shoeboxes again.. however, we forgot to buy the required items at the supermarts over the the weekend and so so we lost the chance to contribute to this particular shoebox appeal program..

The chance to contribute came again recently where I recieved a note from the school about them wanting to collect shoeboxes again.. this time though, instead of food items, we were to give a list of useful items...

Shoebox Appeal
Horizon School are once again collecting ‘shoeboxes’ for the construction workers employed and living in the UAE.

Each ‘shoebox’ will contain practical items and can be decorated by the children to give a more personal touch and to lift the spirits of the recipients.

Each shoebox should contain the following:
Disposable razor, shaving cream, aftershave balm, talcum powder, toothbrush, toothpaste, nail clippers, a small hand towel, comb, soap (antibacterial), shampoo, deodorant & a 25 AED phone voucher.

Please note: All of the above items must be in place to complete a shoebox donation; no other items are to be included so as to avoid any disputes.
Thank you in advance for your generosity and donations.

Please bring in to school by 14th June.

So over the weekend, we went to the supermart and bought all the required stuff.. total amounted to about 150aed but I figured tat is only like 30sing... so still not a big deal... I just find though that the items they include are really strange... like the aftershave balm and all tat.. I would have thought tat the indian construction workers would prefer maybe coconut oil for their hair or maybe curry to eat.. But Max says maybe they are earning so little they probably will not pay to buy things like nail clippers or wat for themselves...

Anyway, the day before we have to hand it in, me and Ace sat down to decorate the shoebox he is going to donate. Ace folded two origami hearts and wrote a little message "I hope you will like this.. Love, Ace" on top of the hearts.. and I tried to make a origami ribbon...

Ace told me tat this particular appeal was not well recieved. Apparently, not many people in his class supported and only a few people from his class supported the appeal... I hope they manage to collect all 200 targetted shoeboxes.. the last I heard, they extended the deadline to the next weekend.. hopefully more will support...

PS: Anyway, I got so interested in origami ribbon making I practiced and practiced and even made this lovely origami ribbon ring!:) Nice boh;) Max was suitably impressed to want to act cute together with my ring.. wahahahaha:)Which is more cute.. the ring or the man?:P

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