Mohammed Rafeek is the smiling face of the Etalian Furniture Building on Airport Road. Originally from the Kannur District in Kerala, Rafeek (as he is affectionately known to his tenants) is the day watchman employed by Foundation Property Management to look after the apartment block. He is also the one-stop shop for solving maintenance problems, keeping up-to-date on local gossip or simply if you need cheering up.
Since coming to the UAE in 1994, Rafeek has worked a number of jobs – initially at his uncle’s grocery store, then a stint as an administrator for a real estate company. His life as a watchman started in 2000 at an apartment block in Khalidiya before his transfer to Airport Road, where he has been a permanent fixture for the last six years.
Rafeek – who speaks four languages fluently (Malayalam, Hindi, Arabic and English) – takes his job very seriously: “Everyone in the building is part of my family. I must look after them and make sure they are happy.”
With his wife of nine years, Samira, living back home in Kerala with his two boys, Mohammed Razi (six) and Mohammed Rizan (two), Rafeek works as many hours as possible to make sure his children get the best possible start in life. We take a look at a typical day ...
6.30am: The alarm goes off in Rafeek’s one-bedroom apartment on the top floor. After a quick bath and breakfast, Rafeek is dressed and in the lift down to the lobby to tackle his day’s duties.
8am: First task of the day is making sure the building is clean and tidy – no mean feat considering there are 90 flats spread over 15 floors. Rafeek takes this in his usual cheerful stride: “As long as you keep on top of it, this only takes a couple of hours. I have a good building, my tenants are not very messy.”
10.30am: By this time the floors and corridors are sparkling and Rafeek is ensconced behind his counter in the reception area. He is busy making sure maintenance contracts are up-to-date and that the correct technicians and workmen are sent to solve the right problems. If light bulbs need replacing, Rafeek will sort it. If a wall needs painting, Rafeek will sort it. If a pipe needs fixing, Rafeek will sort it. Any problems at all, (you guessed it!) Rafeek will sort it.
1pm: Time for a break and some food: “I love traditional food from my country. In Kerala, we eat lots of rice and fish. My favourite is tapioca and fish curry or vegetable stew and appam (flatbread)”.
2pm: Lunch-break over, Rafeek is back on duty in the lobby. Although things have generally quietened down by the afternoon, there’s always something that will require our vigilant watchman’s attention and he’s on the go until his working day finishes around 4pm.
6pm: After taking a nap for about an hour, Rafeek can normally be found back downstairs, cheerily greeting his ‘extended family’ as they return home from work. “I don’t like to stray too far from the building – everyone has my phone number and I want to be close in case anybody needs me,” he says.
On the occasions he does allow himself some free time, Rafeek likes to meet up with his brother, who works in Khalidiya. Or he indulges his passion for cricket: “I used to be the opening batsman for my village in Kerala. Although I don’t play anymore, I love watching cricket on TV”.
Final thoughts: “I like my job and I’m lucky to work in such a nice building. I love helping people and I get real satisfaction knowing that everyone is happy. My ultimate goal is to return home to my family in four or five years time when I have finished building my house and I want to open a grocery store in my village - until then I am happy to be here with my second family.”
Jon Muller
