Meet the Dubai Christmas caroling group 'Jingles'

Gulf News

Full Article here: https://gn24.ae/8f33f18b65a0000 See more at https://gulfnews.com/videos As the countdown for Christmas begins for many residents in the UAE, some expats are marking the festivities by carolling for a cause. Jingles, as the group has christened itself, in association with Red Crescent and permit from the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD), will be singing Christmas carols across different venues in the UAE to help raise funds for five young patients, mainly children, suffering from leukemia.

Transcript

00:00We are here practicing for Jingles and Jingles is a group of friends who started in 2010.

00:29We are a group of around 10 friends, family and friends, started off helping people in

00:36need in Dubai itself.

00:38One of our friends basically had a friend who had a child who had cancer and was in

00:45Dubai hospital.

00:47We went to visit the child and when we went to the hospital, of course that child still

00:51had a lot of cover, insurance cover and had enough resources to complete the treatment

00:56of leukemia.

00:58But when we went to the Dubai hospital, we saw other children, two years, two and a half

01:02years with tubes in their stomachs and on their chest, walking around, still smiling,

01:08laughing, not knowing that they are diagnosed with leukemia, which is life-threatening.

01:13If a child has leukemia under the age of five, if they only complete the entire course of

01:17treatment, which costs them 150,000 Dirhams, they have almost 100% chances of survival.

01:25So when we heard that, that was great news for us, we thought let's get together and

01:29do something for these children.

01:31So their parents had meagre resources and they were not able to arrange for 150,000

01:37Dirhams, neither at one go, neither in parts.

01:41So what they told the doctors was, we cannot do it, so just let the children go back home

01:48and as and when they die, let them die.

01:51So that's not something that we could just listen and be quiet, because we ourselves

01:58are children.

01:59As Jingles, we sing songs, carols, at our friends' places and in companies also.

02:07And voluntarily, they contribute or donate whatever they want to for the cause.

02:12So we first draw up a cause, like this year we're helping three children.

02:16So all three are diagnosed with leukemia and have no funds for treatment.

02:21They are right here being treated.

02:23So this year we have got together to raise funds for all three of them.

02:27So we have around 60 members last time, now this time 75.

02:32Everyone has commitments, everyone is busy, everyone.

02:35They are cancelling birthday parties, parties, get-togethers, long drives, everything they're

02:40cancelling and coming here only for one reason, for these children, so that we give them a

02:45shot at life.

02:46So every Friday, Saturday, to cancel all your appointments, come here, practice.

02:50And then we book a bus, a 65-seater bus, and we schedule the entire route.

02:56If you go to JLT, we make sure we have houses there, we cover all those houses.

03:01And we do it, by the way, we do it in association with Red Crescent.

03:05We have a license from Red Crescent that allows us to conduct Jingles.

03:09So this year also, they have been supporting us, like 2016.

03:14And yeah, so that's the essence of Jingles, to get together for someone and helping to

03:21give a real shot at life for children.

03:25So we use Jingles during the festive season because that's the time of giving back and

03:31to make a difference in everyone's life.

03:33So we just use that season in order to reach out to our very close friends, families, for

03:38that matter, even corporates, you know, all our employers.

03:40You can't imagine how happily they've come forward.

03:45The moment they hear our cause, they just come forward and open their hearts and they

03:51contribute.

03:52To the extent we've been doing this from 2010, as Rajiv said, year on year, it's a miracle,

03:58you know, they come to us, let it be the corporates or our family friends, they ask around Christmas

04:04season, so Meera, this time, aren't you doing Jingles?

04:07What are the kids you're supporting this year?

04:08It is so overwhelming, so touching to see that.

04:11So it gives a kick that every two years we have to head back because we know that people

04:16are there to help.

04:17A lot of people associate Christmas with Christmas trees, gifts, you know, parties, you know,

04:23having fun, late night masses.

04:26But the true essence of Christmas is about giving back or helping someone, you know,

04:29and I think each of us should inculcate that in ourselves, you know.

04:35And what I want to say is, while Christmas, you know, the true essence of Christmas is

04:39about giving, each of us should live that message, you know, and how to live it is because

04:44you can do your part.

04:45It could be a very small part, you could invite us to your house, we can come there, sing

04:50and we can be a channel for you, you know, what you want to give back, or you could donate

04:55directly, you know, to these children, or for that matter, they can do anything that

04:59they want, right?

05:00I mean, either through Jingles or through, you know, any other association that they

05:04have, but of course, we would love people to be part of Jingles and, you know, help

05:08us through so that we can help, through Jingles, we can help out more kids than the five kids

05:11that you set out for.

05:34Make it a spirit of light, what fun it is to rock and sing, what fun it is to rock and sing!

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