Dubai-based students live rough for five days to help the homeless

“Five cats ate our food while we were sleeping,” said one of the students from the Canadian University of Dubai, who slept outdoors and depended on food handouts for five days, to experience the life of those who are underprivileged.

A total of 17 students from the university took part in the ‘Five Days for the Homeless’ charity, a campaign that originated in Canada by students who wanted to raise awareness and funds for the homeless.

As part of the campaign, participating students must remain on the campus for five days, sleep outdoors, only eat food handed to them, give up their cellphone, have no access to showers and facilities, have no income, avoid social media and write about their experience on an online blog, said Mary Alison Lyman, Student Services Manager at the university who is overseeing the charity.

She said, however, that sleeping outdoors is only mandatory for male students, while it is prohibited for the girls. “The girls’ main role is to raise awareness through blogging and funds,” she said.