Abu Dhabi: It took months of convincing Syed Mohammad, father of the sextuplets, to speak with Gulf News about his family's situation; and now that he has shared his story with the public, he has no regrets.
After 12 years of not being able to get pregnant, an Egyptian mother, Soraya Foully, wished for one child, and got six.
The couple's excitement however was short-lived when they realised that they needed a minimum of Dh11,000 a month and a roof over their heads.
December 29, however, brought a ray of hope for the family, when Gulf News reported a story on the UAE's first sextuplets, a story that caught public attention and resulted in offers coming in to help the couple.
"At first I was completely against publishing an article, and it took months of convincing by people around me.
"But when I calculated how much it would cost to accommodate our six children, and how talking about my situation may help us, I agreed, and I'm glad I did," said Mohammad.
Being un-educated, Mohammad admitted to Gulf News that he does not expect to land a high-income job, and that without donations or a helpful hand, he would never have been able to afford taking care of his sextuplets.
Work as a driver
"I don't have many qualifications, and will probably work as a driver or in a similar job for the rest of my life. So the donations and helpful offers that came in after the article were timely.
"The hospital and I received nine calls first thing in the morning, when the first article was published. That's when I knew that God is great, and that I was right to speak with Gulf News."
The family has so far been promised free health insurance coverage for each of the sextuplets by the National Health Insurance Company (Daman), a yearly supply of milk from Bebelac Baby Food; 1,500 diapers, and a two-way ticket from JGC Tecnimont for Soraya's mother and sister, who will be arriving from Egypt to help her with the babies.
The biggest excitement to the family was when they were told that Shaikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, will provide free accommodation, medical assistance and financial support for their sextuplets.
"I never expected this day to come and can't find words to express how I felt when I heard the news. We still however, have issues that we're worried about, such as my wife and children's visas; clothes for the children, water, and diapers. I appreciate the 1,500 diapers we received, but that will only last 31 days. I have hope that God willing, things will work out in due time," said Mohammad.
According to Soraya, various authorities visited her in the hospital, including the UAE Red Crescent Authourity (RCA), who proposed to help the family in the long-run.
"I appreciate all the phone calls, and offers to help, but so far we can barely get by with Dh3,000 — which is the full amount donated to our bank account. It feels great to finally find a home of our own, after the generous offer we received by Ajman's Crown Prince," said Soraya.
"The thought of having my own bathroom and bedroom without having to share, just like normal people, makes me feel alive again," said Soraya.
