Abu Dhabi: Offers of help are still pouring in for bed-ridden grocery worker Mohammad Yousuf Siddique, 29, after XPRESS reported his plight two weeks ago.
After the story was published in our November 7 issue, the XPRESS office was inundated with calls and e-mails from generous readers wanting to help the Bangladeshi man, who has been lying in a vegetative state at Rahba Hospital in Abu Dhabi for more than a year.
Sameer Mukrika Valappil, whose grocery Siddique was working in, told XPRESS that nearly Dh30,000 has already been deposited in his account and it will go towards Siddique’s repatriation as well as his treatment. Some well-wishers had even visited him at the hospital.
“I am so touched by the concern and kindness of all of you. I truly believe we are blessed to live in a country where people believe in helping the downtrodden,” said an overwhelmed Valappil.
Incidentally, it was the kindness and generosity of Valappil that tugged at the heartstrings of many readers. The 33-year-old Indian from Kerala has been religiously taking care of Siddique ever since he suffered an accident on October 8, 2012.
He also remits money to Siddique’s impoverished family that is solely dependent on his meagre salary of Dh800.
Siddique was just two months into his job as a shop assistant at Valappil’s grocery in Al Shahama when he met with an accident while chasing a group of hustlers who robbed the shop of Dh1,000.
Valappil said he was hoping to repatriate his employee to his home country with the help of his embassy.
“I have approached the Bangladesh Embassy as well as social workers to help me with the paperwork. I am glad Siddique and his family will have something to fall back on, thanks to XPRESS readers,” said Valappil who himself is planning to contribute Dh20,000 to the cause.
Heaping praise on Valappil, readers said he has set an example to many companies in the UAE that mistreat their employees. “His example of practical business ethics should be taken as a case study in management and HR courses.... and humanity in general. May Allah bless him and heal his employee as well,” wrote Mohammad Mukhtar Jahangeer, a reader from Sharjah.
“I salute this man. This is humanity at its peak,” wrote Jiten Surtani from Abu Dhabi. Another reader who did not give his name said the world would have been a much better place if all employers were as kind as Valappil.
“This man must have contributed a major part of his savings to help his employee who had worked just two months for him. While we have heard of many cases where millionaire businessmen have tricked their employees and not even paid their long-serving employees’ terminal benefits, leave alone arranging medical benefits for them.
“This is a heart-touching story. God bless this man and his poor employee,” Vittal from Dubai wrote.
