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POSTCARDS TO FAME AND FORTUNE

August 12 was just an ordinary day for Hameed Mohammed as he went about delivering sandwiches and soft drinks at the Sharjah Central Post Office. It was here that he decided to heed to the advice of the post-office salesman and bought a pack of the promotional postcards. He never thought the following day would change the course of his life.

The first thing that he plans to do with his winnings is visit his wife and family in Nadapuram in Kerala and start building his dream home. "For long I had plans to build a nice home for my extended family but found it difficult to go ahead due to lack of funds. Now there is no stopping me as I hope to realise this long-cherished dream soon," he said at the prize giving ceremony held at the Deira Main Post Office.

Salem Al Shaya, acting director general of Emirates Post, who presented the cash award to Mohammed and cheques to other winners said, "We are extremely happy that the campaign has touched so many lives and that people have been able to improve their fortune with the prize money. Many of the winners will now be able to realise their dreams." Al Shaya was referring to the campaign's central theme 'change your life'.

For Khaliq Dad, a Pakistani national, who received a cheque for Dh10, 000 for the first draw held on June 30, it was a chance meeting with a colleague that brought him his winning postcard pack. Dad, an assistant in Unikai's engineering department, got inquisitive on seeing a pack with his colleague and requested him to buy one for him but was offered the same pack which had the winning number.

Well, the colleague's loss was Dad's gain and his win inspired other factory workers to buy their own postcard packs. Dad plans to send his prize money home to his family in Pakistan. "My younger brother wants to start a grocery store and I hope the money will help him set up his business," he said.

Abdul Nassar, a cafeteria worker, bought his postcard pack from a postal agency in Deira. He was so surprised that he had to have a friend reconfirm that he had indeed won Dh25, 000. Thanks to the prize money now Nassar will be able to pay off the house loan he has taken for building his home in Kerala. "I will put the rest of the money in the bank as an investment for my children's future," said Nassar.

Short on funds with a loan and a seven-month-old pregnant wife back home in India, 32-year-old Ibrahim Neduvancheri bought three postcard packs from the Al Ain post office with the conviction that one of them would make him a winner. The Dh10, 000 that he won with winning ticket number could not have come at a more opportune time. He plans to repay the loan and invest the rest in his grocery business.

The Postcard Millionaire Campaign has brought much joy to many people since its launch in June this year. Among them are, from the first draw, Ashim Bhattacharjee (Dh500, 000), Mohamed Abdurahiman Kummalil Kuttikkattil (Dh150, 000), Don Karunaratne Perera (Dh25, 000), Mohamed Mangodi, Mohamed Kutty and Mahabul Alam who have each won Dh10, 000, Sakali Chinna Nadipi Gangaram (Dh50, 000) and Sooppy Cheriya Kakkot (Dh10, 000) from the second draw.

Six more draws are scheduled to take place in the coming months. Postcard packs can be purchased at all Emirates Post post-offices and through its sister company Empost, select EPPCO ENOC petrol stations, Al Safeer Group, Jacky's Electronics, JVC-Oasis Enterprises, UAE Exchange, Wall Street Exchange, Al Razouki Exchange, Lari Exchange, City Exchange, Al Habib Exchange, Choithrams, Giant Supermarkets, Al Maya Lal's, Fathima and Families Supermarkets and all Emarat petrol stations.

All numbers of the postcard packs available in the market are automatically entered into every draw. Hence, postcard packs bought after the draw date could contain a winning ticket. All tickets are eligible to be drawn over the entire duration of the Postcard Millionaire campaign, which runs until January next year. So, there is till time to try your luck if you have not done so far.