Care in the community

Abu Dhabi Week discovers how a pioneering organisation is helping low-income workers feel more at home in the emirate

Abu Dhabi is a melting pot of nationalities that have come from near and far to call the capital their home. One thing expatriates have in common however is that we’re all here to set our sights on a better future. Whether it’s white collar or blue collar, labourer or high-ranking executive, everyone is connected to one another, and shares the same hopes and aspirations for better opportunities for themselves and their families.

“Part of the beauty of the UAE is that we have a community among us even when we are all so different. We have an obligation to the less fortunate and that starts with those in our own community,” says Angel Wesley, founder of Labor of Love.

The American expat, who has been in the UAE since 2008, saw the need for supporting and interacting with labourers in 2010 after delivering dates to a labour camp during the Holy Month of Ramadan. Encouraged to do more, Wesley began Labor of Love – an organisation that aims to provide basic needs, social events, healthcare and education to labour camps in the capital.

“The philosophy is simple: we believe charity begins close to home. If you take a group of people in need, however small, determine what they need and develop programmes to meet these needs, which you can implement year-round, you can make a substantial impact on their overall quality of life. That’s what we aim to do,” adds Wesley.

Initiatives provided by Labor of Love include food drives, distributing care packages, art lessons, IT lessons, English classes and hosting social events, just to name a few.

With access to over twenty thousand labourers – both men and women – in the area, Labor of Love adheres to a policy of equality when delivering goods or providing lessons. The holistic approach means that camps are only provided with a programme if it is available to be offered to all the workers. This means that the labourers who benefit from the group usually work in smaller camps, with men generally working in construction or tradesmen such as plumbers or electricians. Women tend to work in facilities management, which means they clean office buildings, schools or shopping malls.

“We identified this particular segment of society because they are marginalised due to their segregated living conditions and busy work schedules. They often feel as if they are invisible to the rest of us, despite being those who have built and maintained this wonderful country that we all enjoy,” says Wesley.

And the fruits of these labours are very sweet indeed.

Labourers who benefit from the programmes are extremely grateful for the support. Wesley points out there has already been a great transformation in their overall welfare. “They deserve to have people focus on their needs, assist in integrating them into the wider community, and to continuously show them that their hard work is appreciated,” she adds. We have to agree.

Sawaiba Khan