English Classes for Labourers

Free English Classes for Labourers is run in partnership with the AIA Society at American University of Dubai. Each session has been a huge success and culminated with a graduation party for the men that included certificates of completion (something tangible they can take with them anywhere in the world), a veritable feast and lots of bhangra dancing too. Seven batches have graduated so far. The men of the completed batches say that Graduation Day was the best day of their lives!

IBM-Saher Scholarship Fund

Saher was awarded the prestigious title of Most Inspirational woman in the Gulf Region by Kraft Philadelphia during, their Most Inspirational Woman campaign. She used all of the prize money (US$10,000) to establish a Scholarship Fund for promising graduates of the English courses to enable them to give their IELTS examinations. IELTS are an internationally recognized English certification exam beyond the dreams and budgets of most labourers. Having an IELT certifiation under his belt, enables a man to apply for higher-paid jobs, boosts career prospects and even opens the door for immigration possibilities. By taking care of all of the costs and organizing extra tuition to support the candidates, the Scholarship Fund has enabled men to not just change their lives, but to change the lives of their future generations as well.

We are delighted to share with you that men from our first scholarship batch have become Canadian & Australian citizens!

Since 2011, IBM has sponsored the lELTS program and has set up a yearly grant of US $10,000 to ensure that every promising graduate gets the opportunity to take part.


Adopt-a-Camp Events

Adopt-a-Camp organizes and funds enriching out-of-camp experiences for the men. Thousands of men have gotten to participate in events including a Camp Carrom Tournament at the Holiday Inn Barsha, Cricket Tournaments at various schools, Art Therapy courses, Desert Safari outings, Boat Cruises, etc. The aim is for these hard-working, poverty-stricken men to experience a side of Dubai they would never have been able to otherwise and to create special memories for them to hold onto. Credit for the amazing events belongs to the incredibly kind volunteers and sponsors who make them possible. Most recent examples are Moez's donation of 50 bicycles (which culminated in an exhilarating cycle race!) at a camp in Al-Quoz and Reuter's Community Cinema project set up in Sajja's Industrial Area.


Hygiene Workshops

Hygiene Workshops educate the men on basic hygiene and cleanliness skills. Every camp adopted is made bed-bug free, cockroach free and hair lice-free. We shampoo each man's hair ourselves to make sure that this is accomplished. The result of these simple actions is that gastro-intestinal problems, skin infections and lack of sleep have all been nearly eradicated from the adopted camps ensuring thousands of healthier, happier men, The workshops are provided free on condition that what the men learn they have to teach their families and communities when they return home. Adopt-a-Camp is a great believer in the simplicity and beauty of knowledge transfer. Our belief has been credited by glowing reports from the men that after they've held village jirgas and shared the knowledge they've accumulated, thrilling results have taken place in their villages: child mortality is down, death during childbirth is down and huge reductions in skin and gastro-intestinal disorders. Renowned medical researcher, Dr. Nassir Shah, is currently conducting research for a medical journal on this effect which he has dubbed the "Adopt-a-Camp Effect".

MOD (Medical Optical Dental)

It includes organizing and paying for specialist medical, optical and dental treatment for any man who needs it. It also extends to paying for operations and medical care for the men's families back home where, due to their desperate poverty, Adopt-a-Camp's intervention is often the only difference between life and death for the men's children, parents and wives.

Counselling Sessions

Separated from their families, thousands of miles from home, depression, anxiety and anger are common elements in the camps. In Saher's personal counseling sessions, she helps the men to deal with these feelings by being a mother-figure, listening to them, writing letters home for them, providing them with phonecards to speak to their families more often, etc.



Bridge Program

The U.A.E. Government takes the welfare of workers in its country very seriously. By being on the ground, Adopt-a-Camp is able to work as a bridge between the Ministry of Labour and labour camps to help them enforce high standards and report camps that require inspections. It is also able to advise workers on the correct procedures to follow, as laid down by the Ministry of Labour, so that they are protected. Adopt-a-Camp's work is recognized and supported by the UAE Government and Saher is often invited as a respected panelist on intra-government policy discussions regarding labourers.

Care Packages for Labourers

Every few months, Adopt-a-Camp organizes a massive event called Care Packages for Labourers. The most recent one was on 27th/28th July, 2013. It was in partnership with Dubai Chamber and was held at Dubai World Trade Centre. 10,000+ incredible individuals helped source & assemble 5050 Care Packages and a total of 300 TONS of supplies that were distributed at labour camps in Sonapur

It involves sourcing, funding, packing and then distributing thousands of "Care Packages" to labour camps. These days are highlights in Dubai's calendar and are beautiful examples of Dubai's diverse community coming together for a common good. Anyone can join in to help assemble the packages. Local media reports on how wonderful it is to see all nationalities, all age groups: school children to elderly, and all social classes coming together to help those less fortunate. Unlike campaigns run by some other charities, Adopt-a-Camp's Care Packages are hefty bundles of three months supplies of food and toiletries even including new mattresses, bed-linen, clothes and towels. They go hand-in-hand with the Hygiene Workshops and are geared towards making a tangible improvement in the quality of the men's lives. What also makes these days unique is that everyone who's participated in the sourcing of the packages is welcome to go along to the camps for the actual distribution and see the difference they're making with their own eyes.

Abandoned Camps

The most challenging aspect of Adopt-a-Camp's work is taking care of abandoned camps. These are camps where the owners have either absconded or are in jail. The men are left, sometimes for many months, with no food, water, electricity and receiving no salaries. Adopt-a-Camp provides them with all their groceries, medical aid, new clothing, phone cards, fares home.

The Ministry of Labour takes a strong stand on these cases and helps to resolve them as quickly as possible. Similarly, the courts are extremely fair and make their rulings based on the men's best interests. Adopt-a-Camp works with the relevant authorities to help the men return home or be placed in new employment. CNN profiled Saher's humanitarian work in a feature on her; whilst, Al-Jazeera documented her work with a camp called Jose Camp and followed up in efforts to get them sent home with all their dues This happy ending was achieved successfully due to the aid and compassion of the Ministry of Labour.