Expats celebrate N-day from the heart
SHARJAH: Workers from different expat communities have enjoyed the evening full of entertainment and fun organised by the Labour Standards Development Authority in Sharjah (LSDA) in Saja’a Area on the occasion of National Day.
Ahead of the official celebrations, different corners of the park had already been filled by blue-collar workers. They had gathered in groups with their friends.
Shakil, a young Pakistani worker, was seen practising with his traditional musical instrument `Rabab’, which he brought from Pakistan, as his group of friends gathered around him.
“I have been working as a worker in a plastic factory in Saja’a Area for the last one year and also residing in the company’s accommodation in the area. I brought this (Rabab) from Pakistan with me as I used to play small notes and tried to learn more by myself. I still devote some time every week to this but it is difficult to learn further without a teacher or mentor,” he said.
Shakil hails from Batgram, Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa province in Pakistan and every week meets his friends who hail from his native village in his accommodation for a gabfest and hone practice of his Rabab.
“We are here around a dozen of friends from the same village in Batgram city and working in different factories in the Saja’a area. Every weekend we gather at one friend’s accommodation and try to spend some quality time here away from our loved ones. It is difficult but still we are managing as everyone has a different work and situation but music and some table games together are enough to make us happy and enjoy the life in the UAE,” he said.
“We are lucky to have many recreational facilities at the Labour Camp in the Saja’a area. We used to visit the park every day in the evening and try to be engaged in some sports on weekends and make friends from other expat communities as the harmony among the different nationalities is one of the great blessings on this country, we love the UAE,” he said.
However, the park was already filled with workers from different expatriate communities like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and different African countries. Still, they enjoyed the evening full of various musical and dance performances.