1000 ideas for #BahrainBD1000

*The title of this post is very misleading as I only touch up on a handful of ideas but it makes the post sexy enough to get clicked on, and I apologize if you were expecting 1000 ideas!

Last night, our King HH King Hamad issued a decree of doling BD1000 to every Bahraini family (over 120,000 families) and giving people the choice for more financially capable families to forward their BD1000 to more needy families. Now regardless of the political meaning of the timing of this “Makrama” with both the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions bearing fruit and succeeding in toppling their dictators and Bahrain’s own “Day of Wrath” on #Feb14 in the coming days, and its effects in the days ahead, I thought I’d like to share some ideas on how to spend the BD1000 on things better than a trip to Bangkok/Najaf/Medina/Mecca/Dubai etc. or paying off credit card debts and “Jam3eeyas”.

I think this BD1000 or at least some part of it should be used to create some good in our neighbourhoods and society in general, whether through charity works or supporting local businesses (CUPCAKES DO NOT COUNT), so I’m going to list a few ideas I have and please feel free to add yours!

• SAVE!: I find it very shocking that many of my newly married friends hardly save any money for themselves or for their children and end up maxing credit cards and taking loans for emergencies or plain stupid spending.
• Zakat:  pretty much connected with saving and also a good way to break into the habit (not forgetting obligation) of giving out Zakat and helping out the needy.
• Supporting Entrepreneurs: The Bahrain Vision 2030 is all about encouraging entreprenuership and I think any aspiring entrepreneur would love to get BD1000 to help achieve their dreams so find one or be one!
• Community projects: I think people can come together and start up community project without the hassle and ineffectiveness of going to their local Municipality Council and demand certain developments or projects. These could be as small as chipping in to get a plot of land and divide it into carparks in more crowded areas and neighbourhoods or something as profound and life saving as setting up a charity clinic to give routine treatments to Sickle Cell patients especially during the winter when SMC has its worst bed shortages for Sickle Cell patients.
• Re-igniting anti-sectarianism campaign Just Bahraini and spreading it on a wider scale. More badges, more events and more awareness to fight one of Bahrain’s biggest problems!

If you do get the BD1000 spend it wisely and investing it in good will only reap the greatest of rewards..Happiness!