Emirates Draw changes lives of UAE expats: 'I lost everything during Covid pandemic; now I can rebuild'

Raffle draws are continuing to transform participants’ lives in the UAE. One Emirates Draw winner celebrating his good fortune is Daryoush Rahiminejad, a 53-year-old Iranian expatriate who lives in Sharjah with his family.

“I had a readymade garment shop but when the pandemic hit, I lost it. Life was hard but now, I can open another shop and continue to provide for my family,” the father of three, who has lived in the UAE for over 30 years, said.

Commenting on his winnings, Rahiminejad said: “I was so happy when I saw my name on the screen while watching the live stream on Facebook, especially since this is the second time that I participated. It’s wonderful how the draw gives people of all backgrounds, like me, the opportunity to win. I’m definitely participating again and am encouraging all my friends to participate too.”

Fellow Sharjah resident Masood Akhtar Magadumsaheb Khazi’s participation was a spur of the moment decision that resulted in winnings of Dh77,777.

“I decided to participate one hour before the website closed for new entries and was so excited when I found out that I had won. I was watching the live stream on YouTube with my family, and we were all very happy when my name appeared. A friend also called to say that he saw my name and we celebrated together,” the Indian expatriate said.

Khazi confirmed that he will continue to participate in the Emirates Draw. “I plan to use my winnings to help my family as well as give to charity. I’m very motivated to keep trying my luck and, God willing, I may win the Dh100 million Grand Prize.”

To date, over Dh17 million has been presented in prize money to over 13,000 winners since the organisation’s inception in September 2021.

With their purchase, participants are entered into two separate draws. The first is a raffle draw where seven lucky participants are guaranteed Dh77,777 each every week. In addition, all participants will be entered into a second draw with six prize categories that include a Grand Prize of Dh100 million when all seven numbers are matched.