My Salah Mat may be growing internationally, but for founder Kamal Ali, supporting the community close to home remains just as important. That was the reason behind recently attending two local events in Newport: the NYCA Welsh Yemeni Festival and the Celtic Tigers Cricket Festival.
Why Supporting the Local Community Still Matters
Making Time for Newport
Working days for Kamal can often stretch to 10 or 12 hours, and he knew from the beginning that attending these events was unlikely to result in major sales or new business opportunities.
Both were very local events, largely bringing together families living within a few miles of the area. But that was exactly why he wanted My Salah Mat to be there.
Newport is the community Kamal comes from and remains the home of My Salah Mat. Some local people know him personally, while others have followed the company's journey without ever having the opportunity to meet him.
The events created a chance to reconnect with familiar faces, meet new people and hear directly from families in the community.
Whenever My Salah Mat attends smaller local events, products are offered at discounts of at least 50%. Sometimes, if a family genuinely wants something but the price remains difficult, Kamal reduces it further.
The aim is not always to make the sale. Sometimes, helping a local family take home an educational product for their child matters more.
Two Different Celebrations of Community
The NYCA Welsh Yemeni Festival brought together families to celebrate Yemeni culture through traditional clothing, food, music and community activities.
The Celtic Tigers Cricket Festival offered something different, bringing together people with a shared passion for cricket alongside food and family activities.
The cricket festival was particularly personal for Kamal because his family attended with him. His brother-in-law, Ruhul, was one of the organisers, making it an opportunity for the wider family to support both the event and My Salah Mat.
One unexpected attraction was even a gold stall, which proved particularly popular with many of the Asian women attending.
The Value Was Bigger Than Sales
Giving the Next Generation Real Experience
Financially, neither event was significant for My Salah Mat. But the return came in a different form.
Kamal's daughter helped at both events, speaking to customers, demonstrating products and explaining how they worked. As the events progressed, her confidence noticeably increased. His son also joined the family at the cricket festival, alongside young nephews and nieces who were excited to become temporary members of the My Salah Mat team.
For the children, these were practical lessons in confidence, teamwork, customer service and community involvement. Those experiences were worth far more than the money made on the day.
There were also meaningful moments for Kamal himself. Local people stopped to say how proud they were to see someone from their community taking My Salah Mat around the world.
Hearing those words from both younger and senior members of the community meant a great deal.
My Salah Mat continues to think internationally, reaching families across more than 40 countries and building its presence around the world. But growth should never mean forgetting where the journey began. The company thanks the organisers, volunteers, families and everyone who stopped by to support, speak or simply say salaam. My Salah Mat may be building a global brand, but Newport will always be home. Alhamdulillah.
FAQs
Why does My Salah Mat attend local community events?
Local events provide an opportunity to support families, meet the community and remain connected to the people and city where the My Salah Mat journey began.
Does My Salah Mat offer discounts at local events?
Kamal regularly offers discounts of at least 50% at smaller community events, with the focus on making products more accessible to local families.
Which Newport events did My Salah Mat recently attend?
The team attended the NYCA Welsh Yemeni Festival and the Celtic Tigers Cricket Festival.
How are Kamal's children involved with My Salah Mat?
They sometimes join local events, where they gain practical experience speaking to customers, demonstrating products and working as part of a team.
Where is My Salah Mat based?
My Salah Mat is based in Newport, South Wales, while serving families and customers internationally.
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