Dubai laundry shop offers free service for jobseekers

If you are unemployed and need an outfit cleaned, washed and ironed for your job interview, do not worry!

Head straight to Business Bay, where one Filipino-owned laundry shop is offering a unique 'Free wash for jobseekers' service. Crystal Clean laundry is extending this free service as part of its effort in promote the country's Year of Giving initiative and bring some relief to the many job seekers in the country.
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Job hunting is an arduous process and doubly difficult in the UAE summer, when temperatures reach an all-time high. The free laundry service aims to ease the burden of aspiring job seekers in the city, some new while others, who lost their old jobs, are looking for new opportunities.

A customer, Gerogia Perez, who worked in the hospitality sector before being made redundant a few months ago, was delighted to hear about the service. "One of the prerequisites for landing a job in the hospitality sector is being well-dressed and presentable. This service has come as a boon to me, just when I needed it the most. It's tough to wash and iron formalwear as good as a laundry does. So, I would like to say 'Maraming salamat sa uulitin' ('thank you and until next time' in Tagalog)!"

This is the first time ever that a laundry has offered free services to jobseekers here in the UAE.

Talking about idea behind the move, Joel James P Luzana, co-owner of Crystal Clean Laundry, said: "We started the initiative to promote the Year of Giving declared by the President, His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. We know how hard it is to go out looking for jobs in this heat, and thought why not use what we are best at - our laundry service - to spread some cheer."

"The 'free wash for jobseekers' service is our contribution to help everyone, not only our Filipino countrymen, but also other nationalities, " he added.

Rommel, the laundry's operations manager, said: "The service comes in handy when people have job interviews lined up and need crisp formalwear in a short time. If the shop is not busy, we prioritise these customers who avail this free service. We try to give their clothes to them the same day. However, if we are busy, we ask them to pick it up the next day."

Shahul Ahmed, a 28-year-old salesman who recently lost his job, went to the shop with his striped formal shirt after learning about the free service. "I need to be dressed formally for interviews in the sales and marketing field. And it's quite a tedious process to wash and iron coloured, formal shirts. When I heard about this service on Facebook, I visited the shop at once and was not only welcomed but also given priority. Such kind gestures really make a big difference in the lives of people," said a grateful Ahmed.

"It has been received so well by the public that whoever walks in, walks out with a broad smile on his face. People enter the shop a bit skeptical, as they are not sure if this news is true or just a rumour. It gives me great pleasure to drive away their skepticism and welcome them with a smile," said Rommel.

Talking about how they ensure the person availing the service is a genuine job aspirant and not anyone wanting to avail the free offer, Luzana told Khaleej Times: "We make sure that the person who wants to claim this service provides his/her passport and visa copies. This ascertains whether the person is genuine or not."

The laundry shop - that launched the service mid-month -intends to continue the free wash service for two months. "This is also one of the ways we share what we have. Our goal is to help others, and helping people by way of our family business is something we have always wanted to do. The Year of Giving has only renewed our resolve to make a positive change and given us the opportunity and motivation to ease people's burden. This is our way of giving back to this country that has taught us to love, care and be happy," Joel James P. Luzana said.

saman@khaleejtimes.com