Volunteer Week Spotlight: Rubeena Gulzar

31 May 2023

This year I began my journey on the RespondIR programme, being trained to respond to UK emergencies. By day I am a Diversity & Inclusion lead for a UK regulator within the aviation industry. I wanted to go beyond donating money to the charity’s causes and start giving my time.

Since joining the programme, the world of volunteering within Islamic Relief soon opened up for me: collecting donations for the DEC Turkey-Syria Earthquake Appeal, to training and being a call centre volunteer during the Ramadan Islam Channel Appeals, to helping fundraise at the Ramadan Tent Project Open Iftar and Trafalgar Square Eid event – all this in just a few months!

Whilst on my first shift, I put myself forward to speak live on the Islam Channel on behalf of all the other volunteers… unscripted! It was an amazing experience and what made it even more so, was when within seconds of being on air I took a call from a donor who said she watched and listened to me speak about what we were all doing and then picked up the phone and called us straight away! Sometimes a few words can go a long way…literally!

Volunteering with my 15-year-old nephew at the Ramadan Tent Project outside the Royal Albert Hall was the highlight of my volunteering experience during Ramadan. He processed contactless payments, and I brought the donors to the stand. As the saying goes, “Team work really does make the dream work!” We sold out all chocolate cakes and sweets before Iftar!

I generally felt positive, happier, and uplifted during Ramadan this year.

I felt volunteering and performing other good deeds can be infectious and create a ripple effect of positivity and doing good deeds - whether increasing your own efforts or triggering others to also volunteer and help others. Also, it helps knowing that you receive more barakah and blessings for the good deeds you perform during Ramadan!

It also provides perspective. It is easy to take things or people for granted and also get to attached to materialistic things or caught up in matters that shouldn’t be deemed as significant in the grander scheme of life.

Never underestimate how much of a difference just a few hours of volunteering can make to people. You, individually, and as part of a team end up raising a lot of money that will help many in need here and abroad, Insha’Allah. Volunteering can be as easy, as challenging, and as fun as you want to make it – don’t forget that charity also comes in the form of a smile too.

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