Abu Dhabi: A group of women who work as cleaners at various shopping malls in Abu Dhabi have found a new way of coping with the daily stresses of life — laughter yoga.
At an iftar party and awareness programme organised for them by the Indian Ladies Association (ILA) in Abu Dhabi on Friday evening, they laughed their hearts out as a yoga instructor took them through the paces.
“I will try this technique and try to be happy always, although life is tough,” Swarna Margarita, 48, a Sri Lankan, told Gulf News. After having lost her husband to cancer, Margarita came to Abu Dhabi 13 years ago, which helped her provide a better life to her only son.
“Now my daughter-in-law is also struggling with the same disease [cancer] back home but this job and pleasant opportunities like this keep me going,” Margarita said.
As her colleagues danced away to music played by the ILA members to entertain the workers, Margarita confessed that she was too shy to take to the floor. “But I enjoyed doing laughter yoga and it will help me become more cheerful,” she said.
Laughter yoga (Hasyayoga) is a practice involving prolonged voluntary laughter and is based on the belief that voluntary laughter provides the same physiological and psychological benefits as spontaneous laughter.
Neeta Bhushan, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi who was the chief guest at the event, told Gulf News that she was impressed by the quality of awareness sessions including laughter yoga. “These give [these women] a chance to learn some techniques to manage the stresses of daily life. The ILA is making so much effort to reach out to female workers and especially those in the labour accommodation (units),” she said.
Sunita Wagle, president of the ILA, said this is the second consecutive year the ILA has conducted an iftar party and awareness programme for female workers. “We are keen to do something for these women who work very hard,” she said.
Aisha Lakadawala, general secretary of the ILA, said the event was an attempt to bring about a small change in the lives of workers.
Around 45 women workers of a cleaning company in Mussaffah attended the event and they said it gave them the much-needed respite. “It is tough to leave my children and spouse behind and live in a faraway land. But pleasant moments and achievements like this give me inspiration to move forward,” Nike Williams, 38, a Nigerian, said about her success at a competition at the event. “I played bingo the first time and won the first prize. I think if I get opportunities, I can excel in many things. I feel more confident now,” Williams said.
Usha Ray, 21, from Nepal, was dancing uninterrupted and said she used to do so at home on special occasions and festivals. “I feel that we all are alike when it comes to enjoying pleasant moments and feeling happy,” she said.
For Noora Ankay, 52, a Filipina, loving and friendly gestures extended by the ILA members were more important than anything else. “When we feel somebody cares for us, we smile more,” she said.