Salem Al Badwawi: The Good Samaritan
A Dubai GDRFA officer’s kind gesture to a family stranded at the Hatta checkpoint captured the imagination of a nation
The quiet town of Hatta shone with pride last week when one of its residents captivated the attention of the UAE.
Located 115km away from the city of Dubai, Hatta does not usually garner much media attention.
Many see the slow-paced town as a secluded spot frequented by residents and tourists who are looking for a getaway, far from the gleaming towers and neon lights of the billboards and skyscrapers of the big city.
Salem Abdullah Bin Nabhan Al Badwawi, an officer of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (or GDRFA) who leads a simple life in rural Hatta, was recently placed under the spotlight for his gracious attitude and dedication to serving the community.
Narrating the turn of events that led to his 15 minutes of fame, Al Badwawi, 33, told Gulf News how he did not expect an innocent act of kindness to turn into one of national interest.
Al Badwawi, who has worked at the Hatta border control for 12 years, was looking forward to finishing his night shift and spending time with his family and four children on the first day of Eid Al Fitr. But that morning came with an unexpected surprise as a car happened to break down near the checkpoint. The car was carrying a Syrian family making its way to Muscat to celebrate the Eid holidays.
“The radiator had broken down and the driver was ready to cancel his family’s trip, take a taxi and go back to Dubai. I could not allow that to happen. Especially not during Eid,” he said.
Al Badwawi offered the car keys of his Toyota Land Cruiser to the family, and would not take ‘no’ for an answer. He insisted that the family continue their road trip to Oman and return the SUV on their way back.
“This was a humanitarian act and I was [merely] following the role model of the late Shaikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who taught my generation, and that of my parents and grandparents, to help others. I did not think that helping a traveller would have attracted so much attention.”
The media soon picked up the story of Al Badwawi’s kind nature after the Syrian man, identified as Fateh, called a radio show to thank the customs officer in public.
“It was on a Friday around 7am and also the first day of Eid [June 15]. So finding a mechanic to fix the car was simply out of the question,” said Fateh, live on air. “I wanted to express my sincerest gratitude towards that kind officer, and I do not know how I can ever thank him [enough] for his generosity,” he explained.
‘Something positive’
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, soon heard about the incident after the radio show, Al Ba’th Al Mubashir, was telecast on Sama Dubai TV. Shaikh Mohammad immediately offered Al Badwawi a promotion to First Officer in recognition of his good faith, effective from June 16, and described him as a shining example of Emirati values.
“At the end of the day, I believe that if you do something positive, people will see you as an Emirati first before looking at you as an employee,” said Al Badwawi.
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai also created an Arabic Twitter hashtag #Salem_Al_Badwawi in appreciation of his generosity,
“Salem Al Badwawi is a role model for the values and principles laid down by the late Shaikh Zayed,” said Major-General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director General of the GDRFA. “Shaikh Zayed taught us about humanity in every sense of the word, and we do not differentiate between any creed, religion, race or nationality. We are honoured to celebrate such noble values for the year 2018,” he said.
Unity and compassion
The year 2018 marks 100 years since the birth of the late Shaikh Zayed, with President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan declaring 2018 as the Year of Zayed in the UAE. Shaikh Zayed, Ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1966 and UAE President from 1971-2004, was widely loved and respected as a benevolent statesman who believed in unity and compassion.
The Year of Zayed commemorates the founding father’s exemplary nature of tolerance, generosity and humanitarian aid.
From launching housing projects for the needy to providing food and medicine for people suffering from poverty, late Shaikh Zayed’s inclusiveness knew no boundaries. He was determined that humanitarian assistance should be extended to people around the globe, regardless of race, sex, language or religion.
Shaikh Khalifa also called for making 2018 a year to reaffirm our commitment in continuing with late Shaikh Zayed’s legacy and work, guided by his wisdom and vision. Shaikh Khalifa further stressed that the legacy of Shaikh Zayed will remain alive not only in the hearts of the UAE people, but throughout the Arab and Muslim nations, and the world.
