Canadian University of Dubai students will sleep ‘homeless’ on campus and will rely only on food hand-outs from other students to raise awareness

 Dubai students will give up the luxury of sleeping in their regular homes for five days to raise awareness and funds for a charity that supports the homeless.

During the five-day period the six Canadian University of Dubai students will sleep ‘homeless’ on campus and will rely only on food hand-outs from other students.

As part of the challenge that started on Sunday and ends on Friday, students also had to refrain from taking showers or even changing their clothes, all in support of the international Five Days for the Homeless charity that raises awareness and funds for the homeless.

Gulf News spoke to some of the students to learn more about how their experience has been so far.

“We have been sleeping in the basketball court and relying on students’ generosity for food and hygiene items such as toothbrush and toothpaste. The first day was really tough because students were still not aware of the cause so we had to stay for a period of six hours without food,” said Finance and Accounting student Issam Kassabieh, Lebanese, 21.

“So far the experience has been tough but rewarding at the same time because you get to learn more about yourself and you also get a new perspective about the homeless,” he added

“The toughest thing about the challenge is not getting what you want whenever you want and having to depend on others to provide for you. From this experience I have learned to appreciate the small things in life,” said advertising student Shabbir Furniturewala, Canadian, 26.

“Sleeping outside was the hardest thing for me. I have had a few ant bites here and there. I have learned that all these materialistic things in life are not the most important things as some people don’t even have a roof above their head,” said Advertising student Karim Sahmi, Egyptian, 20.

Only two days into the challenge and the students were able to raise Dh5,000 by putting up “begging signs” in order to encourage students passing by to donate.

All the money raised by the six students — Kareem Fahmy, Issam Kassabieh, Tiwa Ompe, Javan Wada, Shabbir Furniturewala, Mussaddiq Hassan and Ahmad Qarjouli — will be donated to the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children.