Homelessness in Dubai - a thread

Migrant workers are still ending up on the streets and in parks in the UAE due to their companies going bust or failing to pay them.

Charities are helping to feed them and get them into temporary accommodation but many remain in parks

There are currently 200 homeless Sri Lankans awaiting repatriation - 50 sleeping in a park in Satwa and 150 in temporary camps

Many have been stranded since repatriation flights to Colombo were cancelled last month

Another 172 labourers became homeless after their camp in Khorfakkan caught fire a couple of months ago. They were already out of work after their company failed to pay them for many months and went bust.

Many have been repatriated but about 70 remain in a camp in Dubai

Their case is with the Labour Court so the govt has put them up in the camp and is providing lunches. But they’re not allowed to use the kitchen in the camp and are relying on generous charities to deliver food at other times of the day

This is the situation at breakfast time:

Considering the predicament they’re in, these are still some of the nicest, most humble guys around. Many are from India. Some just want to be repatriated home, many want to find alternative work in the UAE

This guy is an utter legend. He lost his job as a mechanical supervisor in July, but hasn’t been paid since February. He has lived in the UAE for 15 years.

He’s now got a new job but wants to stay with the group in the camp to help them. When they leave, he will leave

From the sounds of it, the Dubai government & charities are doing what they can to help - but there is simply too many people requiring assistance.

If you’d like to be a flight donor - please DM me. There is a repatriation flight to Sri Lanka tomorrow

To be a flight donor: you must be prepared to pay for a full ticket for someone (due to legalities around fundraising here). The repatriation flight to Colombo is Dh1100 + Dh241 exit fee

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