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A Jordanian bride and groom decided to start their new journey by helping others in need.
Fares Ghandour and Dina Shaba, 28 years old, are collecting money to plant fruit trees in Jordan and Palestine to generate income for families in need, in cooperation with the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature (APN).
The money is collected through their online wedding registry. The couple will be getting married in September.
So far, 10 sheep were distributed this week to 2 families in Bayouda village in Balqa Governorate, as well as a 3 month supply of fodder.
“I have always been an advocate for mother nature and its protection, so I thought that getting people to donate via our wedding registry would be the most effective way to do so,” said Dina Shaban.
Ghandour, a venture capital investor living in Dubai, said he hoped his and Dina Shaban’s friends would do the same for their weddings.
“By donating all our wedding gift registry proceeds to APN, we are allowing contributors… to feel good about donating to the economic and ecological well-being of Jordan and Palestine,” he told The Jordan Times in a recent e-mail interview.
“It feels great to connect our guests with APN and to raise awareness on issues that I feel are neglected in the region. I am sure they will feel good about the donation as well,” said Shaban.
“Different couples may have different financial requirements for their new lives, but even if a small amount of their gift registry proceeds are put to a good cause they feel strongly towards, that can go a long way,” the groom-to-be said.
Razan Zuayter, co-founder of APN, said donations like this one are important to help farmers who are struggling both in Jordan and in Palestine.
“This is proof that people themselves can be the source of financial and moral support to their fellow citizens in need. It is also an acknowledgement of the importance of local food production to achieve food security in the country and the wider region,” she said.
“The message behind this donation is that ... we can unite as people to achieve our vision,” she noted.
The organisation has planted over 2.2 million trees in Jordan and Palestine since 2000.
Source: Jordan Times