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HUMANITARIAN Fatima Al Mansoori has flown over to New Zealand to offer comfort to the families of those who were killed in the Christchurch mosque attacks that left 50 people dead and dozens more wounded.
The Bahraini yoga teacher was determined to offer help once again at a time of crisis, visiting the injured in hospital and marching with peace campaigners.
Australian Brenton Tarrant, a self-proclaimed white supremacist, has been charged with one murder and is expected to face further charges.
Fatima took a flight last Monday and eventually arrived in New Zealand on Wednesday. “It’s a personal initiative,” she said. The 35-year-old pledged to dedicate her life to humanitarian social work after her mother passed away last year.
“As I help others and every time I stand up for a cause I dedicate it to my mother, may her soul rest in peace. She inspired me with her strength and patience,” she explained.
“I travelled to New Zealand because I believe that we should take a stand against hate and terrorism. We should not feel terrorised but be strong and stand in unity with each other as humans, regardless of race or religion.
“It is very important to show solidarity in such difficult times. After the attack I took an immediate interest in volunteering with victim support groups after hearing the devastating, horrific news I started making calls to organise my visit.
“Just like any other initiative, I did not have any contacts over there, but I have the biggest support in the world … God.”
She heard how staff members of Canterbury University were helping grief-stricken students and was able to make contact, facilitated by a social media friend, Suad Al Halwachi, the CEO of an education zone.
“We’ve never met but I saw her posts regarding the situation in New Zealand,” explained Fatima. “She had posted that one of her friends was in hospital. I immediately texted her to get contact numbers and she not only gave me them but also helped facilitate my visit and connected me with the university.
“They welcomed the initiative, offered accommodation and a warm welcome airport pick-up. It took me five airports to reach New Zealand. It was a very long trip, what with layovers, but I wanted to be there and nothing could stop me.
“I save up money from my public speaking or corporate workshops and I spend it on such missions and causes.
“I do what I see is right to do and I don’t wait for any support or an agreement to do it. But if anyone wants to help, they’re more than welcome. I’m always available to partner with anyone. It’s the cause that matters, regardless of anything-else, and I respect and appreciate any kind of help. There are people who believe in me and what I do and are always there to support or sponsor me whenever I need it.”
Mind you, not everyone has been supportive, even after community groups showered her with praise and accolades for her humanitarian activities. Fatima came to prominence last summer when she headed to flood-hit Kerala after travelling to an Indian university to hold a lecture and her social media reports from the scene went viral.
“Some people see humanitarian work through rosy glasses, people see high profile celebrities supporting humanitarian causes, they think it’s all about classy missions and photo-shoots,” she said.
“I’ve won awards and I’m sometimes in papers and on TV, so they think it’s a fancy self-promotion – something to add to your CV!
“The real question is, do you have a pure intention? Are you willing to get on the ground and offer support or are you there to just pose for photos with the victims?
“Getting involved can be dangerous, apart from sleepless nights and long hours travelling, but when you’re in it, you’re in it for the long run – to create an impact, serve a purpose and support a cause.
“It also requires turning a deaf ear to those who get angry because they fail to see that I also do a lot of local social work. I wouldn’t extend my services out of Bahrain if I wasn’t doing anything to support the local community too. I volunteer with local societies, private and public sector organisations and government agencies all the time, it’s important to me.”
Fatima recently introduced a mindfulness project at schools in Bahrain in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health, supported by Arabian Gulf University and Al Jawhara Centre for Molecular Medicine.
