Four poised to chase their dreams in Dubai

Dubai: At first glance, they would pass for four boys who have just reached puberty. Each of them is about 1.5 metres tall. Their voice would occasionally break when they get passionate in telling their stories of home—how 16 families would share one toilet, or how rice and dhal for breakfast and lunch were all they could have for one day.

They are Rubel, Saddam, Tipu and Sumon, four slum boys from Dhaka. All 18, they have come to Dubai to weave their own dreams through the help of the Maria Cristina Foundation (MCF), a Dubai-based not-for-profit organisation that helps impoverished boys and girls in Bangladesh.

Before MCF found Rubel Rahman seven years ago, he had been roaming the streets of Dhaka selling tea. "I sold tea from street to street by walking for one to three hours to sell one flask of tea," Rubel said. At that time, he would carry up to two five-litre bottles of water on each round. On good days, he would take home around 40 taka (Dh1.75), enough to buy a kilogram of rice.

Because his father, a rickshaw puller had had an accident, Rubel had to help earn money for the family. His mother's wages from working in a garment factory was not enough.

"It was miserable back then. We couldn't pay the house rent and we ran here to there. And no one was there to help us," Rubel said.

Like Rubel, poverty also pushed Saddam Hussain to the streets.

"My father was unable to give me the necessary things for study or food. He was unable to support my family, too, that's why I had to work," Saddam, also a tea seller, said.

Between 1994 to 2008, 50 per cent of the population of Bangladesh lived below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day according to Unicef figures. Saddam and Rubel's families belonged in this group. Tipu and Sumon's did as well.

"In one small room [with] one bed, there were seven of us. And there were two kitchens for 16 families, which was difficult for us," Sumon Azad said.

MCF's arrival was an answered prayer for them. That was when they received their first gift — free education and support.

"I started studying. And after that I learned how to speak English," Tipu Sultan said.

The help they received from MCF, however, was not a one-time deal. The four young men have been under the care of the foundation for seven years.

"MCF gave us all opportunities that children need, like medicine, uniform, school needs like books, tents, pencils, and so on. And they helped our family by giving house rent and giving our parents some job in our school," Tipu added.

"If you want to empower people to get out of poverty, you cannot drag them out. They need to walk out by themselves but you need to show them the way, for sure," Ingvild Denut, MCF spokeswoman, said.

And the long way out of poverty has brought them to Dubai. MCF took the young men to the Ethical Employment programme. Each of them has been training to become ramp handlers at Emirates Aviation College. Once they pass the training, they will be employed — which is the first step to their dreams of becoming pilots or cabin crew.

"We follow them and we try to fulfil Maria's commitments to them. They have been taught English. They are learning so many different skills. Afterwards, they do get a job opportunity and then it's up to them whether they make this happen for them or not," Denut added.