Watch: UAE workers treated to surprise Kazakhstan trip on International Workers’ Day

Sharjah: Ten construction workers in the UAE were given a surprise overseas trip to Kazakhstan as part of an International Workers’ Day celebration, in recognition of their outstanding performance and dedication over the past year.

Selected from a pool of thousands, the workers were first given Golden Achievement Awards for their excellence and informed about their reward — an international trip. Ahead of the all-expenses-paid journey, workers were presented with briefcases containing new outfits, jackets and shoes for the three-day trip.

The very next day, they were flown from Sharjah to Almaty, where they were greeted at the airport with traditional Kazakh music and local hats ‘taqiya’ arranged through the tour operators. The itinerary included visits to snow-covered mountain ranges and springtime orchards in bloom, sights the men had never seen before.

One of the workers, Hare Ram, described the mountains as “heavenly.” “I have seen such places only in the movies,” he said. Another worker, Sadar Alam, said the experience was like “walking through a dream.”

Shymbulak Mountain, one of the country’s highest accessible ranges, is still covered in snow, while the orchards of apple and cherry trees have blossomed during spring. For Sanjay Kumar, it was the first time seeing snow and flowering trees in one place. “It was like two seasons in a single frame,” he said.

The top ten workers were chosen through a year-long selection process based on performance, attendance, conduct at workplace and accommodation, dedication to the company and family responsibility.

The trip was organised by UAE-based World Star Holding, a manpower supply company led by an Indian expat couple from Kerala, Nishad Hussain, chairman, and Haseena Nishad, managing director. Known for its labour welfare initiatives, the company has previously funded luxury hotel stays, yacht trips, landmark visits, and onboard entertainment for workers during their daily commutes.

It is the second time that the company has sent outstanding workers on international trips to mark Workers’ Day. According to the couple, the aim of such events is not only to reward individual effort but also to uplift the morale of the entire workforce and build stronger connections between employers and employees.