Trying to pin down Gift of the Givers project manager Ali Sablay is almost as difficult as seeing him sit down for a break.

He is always first to call, to roll up his sleeves and get to whoever needs help the most. Not afraid to pitch in with handing out building materials or food parcels to those in need, Sablay is the person you need in a crisis.

Born and raised in Rylands Estate in Cape Town, Sablay was taught humanitarianism by his parents. Sablay says this is where a humanitarian love for others grew. “I could remember many people coming to my parents’ house in the week, knocking on the door, on the window, ringing the bell and asking for something to eat.

“Although we didn’t have much, my dad always taught us that even if we give our last R1, at least we have a family together. We don’t know what difference that R1 will [make] to that man and his family. It was just an easy flow and that’s how the journey started,” he said.

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It was 13 years ago on 29 November 2010 – on his mother’s birthday – that Sablay would enter an organisation that has changed many people’s lives, not only in South Africa but across the world. This year, he celebrated 13 years with Gift of the Givers.

“How I started was when we were young, we always saw the work Gift of the Givers was doing on the television, in the media, and Dr Sooliman was a role model to everyone… It was that time of the year when it was the Pakistan earthquakes and Gift of the Givers sent their team through – there was a community collection. My friends and I decided to have a collection as well. That’s when I met Dr Imtiaz Sooliman,” said Sablay.

He worked for seven years under Gawa Omar, whom he described as nurturing him. Long hours were spent – before the organisation had a bricks-and-mortar building – trying to handle distribution from a single container.

“I learnt from her also that when you go into communities, give your best and do the best you can do as well,” he said.

Through this process, Sablay has worked closely with his role model, founder and chair of Gift of the Givers Dr Imtiaz Sooliman. “There are not many people in this world who can work with their role models. Many people have role models and for me, I’m in a very fortunate position, as I can work every day alongside the role model in my life,” he said.

“Doing this work is not easy. This is a calling – no amount of money can pay the blessings and rewards of doing this work,” said Sablay. “In any environment you see the growth of the market; for us we always see the growth of mankind, seeing the long journey with them.”

Sablay dedicated the award to Gift of the Givers Gaza office head Dr Ahmed Abbas, who was murdered alongside his brother after walking out of morning prayers in Gaza – soon after the Daily Maverick nominations went public. “I dedicate this award to him and his team because really, he was a champion in everything he was doing,” he said.

Another group Sablay specifically mentioned were those working in the Gift of the Givers warehouse. “I was a bit overwhelmed when I thought, wow, I’ve been nominated for an award and [then I won] the award as well. It just shows the love and support we have from everyone,” he said.

“You know, this is not only for myself, it’s for the team I work with very closely as well. We have a great team – from the cleaner in the warehouse to the warehouse manager, from the packer in the warehouse to those loading on the trucks and those loading off the trucks. This is all for them as well.” DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R29.