After working out at home every day during the COVID-19 lockdown, and being touched by the plight of Ghanaians who become homeless while waiting for repatriation flights, Tarek Jabi decided to call in some fellow fitness fanatics to help him raise funds for those in need and attempt a world record while they are at it.  

Jabi enlisted the help of fellow Dubai-based fitness buddies Jade Palmer and Emil Pittman who run the online platform #Workoutwentviral and came up with the idea of doing a “burpee-a-thon” on Friday, June 19. Together, the trio alongside Anu Thomas, Johanna Suttie, and Yomi Egbeleye will lead the 12-hour #DoOneGiveOne challenge, run in conjunction with Emirates Red Crescent. 

The organization will use the funds to support people stranded in the United Arab Emirates by the COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel shutdowns. 

“There are a lot of people struggling to get by at the moment, or to get home,” Pittman said. “Many of those are people who have come in from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh on visit visas, for a better life for their families and got stuck here temporarily.” 

The six charity-minded sportspeople will aim to complete a combined total of 9,000 to 10,000 burpees between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday. Together with help from the public, their goal is to raise AED 50,000 ($13,600) and create a new Guinness World Record for the most burpees done by a team in 12 hours.  

As the name #DoOneGiveOne suggests, anyone can join in the burpee-a-thon. You can support the world record and charity event by signing on to a Zoom session and completing as many burpees as possible during a 45 minute time slot on Friday. Participants are encouraged to donate AED 1 ($0.27) for every burpee they complete, while a Guiness World Record team counts them towards the record attempt. 

“The more you do, the more you give,” Jabi said. “I want everyone to know that giving starts with a dirham. A lot of people want to give back to the community, but don’t know how… and any amount can make a difference.” 

Less energetic but equally charity-minded people can choose to simply donate without raising a sweat through the YallaGive platform. 

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