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Genie grants wish, Firdous flies home

Dubai - With roots in Chennai, Syed Firdous Ahmed started working in Dubai in 2008.

A small act of kindness can make a big difference and Khaleej Times once again wins hearts by a beautiful campaign in collaboration with Smart Pay powered by UAE Exchange. A campaign to give five expats the chance to return to their home countries to spend Eid Al Fitr with their loved ones.

No matter how far we travel away from our homes to earn that extra bit for a better lifestyle, we long to celebrate occasions with our families. Various reasons do pull us down and eventually knock the option of travelling back home due to various reasons. Every individual has a story to narrate and one such person who got lucky this Eid is Syed Firdous Ahmed, a man who has not been home for five years.

With roots in Chennai, Syed Firdous Ahmed started working in Dubai in 2008. Just five years ago, he had joined Merco, a technical service company. However, financial debts and an unforgiving work environment left him struggling to make ends meet. Amid the chaos, he has been unable to visit his family back home. During this time, he had missed several events and moments, notably the passing of his mother, which left him heartbroken.

He was forced to grieve and console his family through long-distance calls and messages because travelling to India was not an affordable choice. Ahmed continues to keep a firm grip on reality and continues to work for the wellbeing of his family. He misses his children dearly and is hopeful that someday things will work out for him, and he would be able to go home.

To this wish, a genie-like Smart Pay chose him and granted his request to fly back home this Eid. Firdous is extremely happy and waiting to go back home, spend time with his children and family.

At Khaleej Times, we are proud to have partners such as Smart Pay by UAE Exchange who become a genie to the people in real life and grant wishes. These wishes bridge gaps and bring myriads of emotions to life.