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Fortune Favours the Bravehearts

DUBAI - The DSF Lexus Raffle draw brings with it the biggest rush of adrenaline every year as just one name is pulled out from a cask of rolling fate and fortunes to win two cars and a cash of 100,000 in the currency that lady luck comes up with.

Rashid Saleh, a four-year-old Emarati boy was one among the winners last year, and the currency he got was US dollars. In value, his was the biggest prize money given away. His father, who works at the Abu Dhabi airport said, “I had been trying my luck for 11 years, each DSF I would buy a coupon each day. Deep in my heart, I knew someday my fate would shine. It is amazing how a small piece of paper worth Dh 200 can change everything.”

K. A. Osman, a driver from India said, “I would buy a raffle coupon every year but with no luck. It came to an extent when my friends and family would make fun of my obsession but I didn’t care about what they said. I kept trying and last year I welcomed lady luck into my life. The prize money allowed me to begin constructing a house in India. I’ve created fixed deposits to fund education of my children.”

“I have bought the tickets this year too but no luck so far. I have reaped the rewards of trying with faith and I am still hopeful,” he smiled.

Another winner was Carol Bashoti, a Lebanese homemaker who has lived in UAE all her life. Her prize currency was Mexican Peso. She said, “I won Dh 35,000 in all and the money helped my family a lot. I have a baby girl and we are glad that she now has a brighter future thanks to DSF.”

Ibrahim Ali Mohammed, another winner, from Yemen is a supervisor at Dubai Municipality. He says, “I am an ardent shopper and I end up filling many coupons and raffle tickets during DSF. Winning is surely a stroke of luck.”

Humaid Bader Khalfan, an Emarati army officer from Abu Dhabi also won a prize last year. It was his first and last attempt at the raffles. He said, “We had come to Dubai from Abu Dhabi and I bought the coupon on insistence from my friends and family. I had forgotten all about it till I received a call the next evening. I set aside the Lexus ES350 for my personal use and invested the remaining amount to ensure funds for my son’s education.”

And, for Ranjith, a Bangladeshi hairdresser, the coupon came as a bolt from the blue. He said, “We were a group of five, new to the country at the time and had not sent any money home. Everything seemed bleak. But then, one of the regular customers at the shop suggested we pool in money to buy a raffle coupon.

“At first, we brushed the idea off as a waste of money but the man insisted. He felt that if it’s a combined effort, perhaps someone’s luck will shine and all of us will benefit.

“Five of us pooled in Dh 40 each for that coupon and now we are better off. Miracles happen indeed and DSF proved to be a true test of faith and friendship for us.”

The Lexus Mega Raffle, one among the highlights of the draws this DSF, is giving away two Lexus cars, valued at an average of Dh 400,000. Additionally, the daily lucky winner will take home a cash prize of 100,000, but in various currencies that the winner will choose through another draw.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE