'Never experienced Iftar like this': 200 housekeeping staff treated during Ramadan at Dubai hotel

Gathering was aimed at making staff feel special and loved, as most of them lived thousands of miles away from their families

by

Nandini Sircar

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Photo: Supplied
Photo: Supplied

Published: Mon 10 Apr 2023, 3:38 PM

Last updated: Mon 10 Apr 2023, 4:55 PM

While Iftar parties and gatherings are common among friends and families during the holy month of Ramadan, a UAE-based company decided to use this occasion to honour its staff. The company organised a lavish Iftar at a Dubai hotel for around 200 housekeeping attendants and technicians from 'mplus,' a home maintenance firm. The event was a gesture of appreciation and care from the management towards its employees.

The Iftar party was not limited to the staff members of the company. Elderly members of the community also attended to bless and support these hardworking individuals. The event was held at a hotel in Karama and included a dinner party.


Srinivas Muta one of the attendees who is part of the company’s housekeeping staff says, “We enjoyed the gathering and Iftar which was held recently. I spent quality time enjoying with my mplus family, which is my second family now as I am away from home, working in the UAE.

“The food was very good and I have never seen this kind of restaurant. I shared the pictures with my friends back home and they were happy to see me in such a grand setting. I thank mplus management for organising an evening that we’ve never experienced before.”


The gathering aimed to make the staff feel special and loved, as most are thousands of miles away from their families and loved ones. They were treated to great food and a warm home-like ambience at the lavish restaurant and honoured with gift vouchers and certificates.

Shagato Sen, who works as an assistant painter, said, “I have been working here for almost one-and-a- half years. This Iftar party has truly been memorable; it has helped to break the monotony of our life. We would finish our work and then go to our rooms every day. But then we were told one day that this Iftar party is being organised for us. At the party we all gathered together, I also met some of my old associates after a long time. Catching up with them was truly special and we had a great time. Frankly, the arrangements were beyond our expectations and the food was really good. Some people even received the ‘employee of the month’ award. All these made the evening indeed special."

To give them a sense of belonging, the company’s management also brought in some of the homeowners from the communities they serve such as Owners Association chairpersons, along with some senior citizens of the community. These residents appreciated the staff for their hard work and presented them with letter of promotions, and gift vouchers.

Mallikarjun Rao said, “I enjoyed this event a lot and I am thankful as I felt important and part of the mplus family. This is the first time I am witnessing an Iftar of this scale. I have worked here for three years, and the evening was exceptional. This has motivated me to better deliver and perform my job with greater perseverance. This also made us feel valued in the organisation.”

Abdulla says, “I was in a different company earlier. I moved to this company and will complete three years here. This kind of Iftar party is my first. We only get to see such lavish Iftar parties in Dubai. I couldn’t imagine this when I was back home, that one day I’d witness an Iftar party of this scale. I thank my company for organising this for all of us.”

Vijay Kumar with a staff from mplus
Vijay Kumar with a staff from mplus

Sending out a heartfelt message, senior citizen and chairman of Al Dhafrah community of Greens and Views, Vijay Kumar, said, “These staff members are beautiful souls that need to be valued. They work hard to keep our community clean and powered up. Despite staying away from their families and working hard on the field, they still sport a warm smile and greet us every time we see them in the community.

“I am so glad and grateful to the company that they also gave us, community members, a chance to meet and greet our ground staff, sit down with them, eat with them and talk with them, just like we do with our families.

"I believe this Iftar has established a new bond between the community members and staff as we learned more about their personal lives and their challenges. Many of them felt touched when I called them ‘my son’, and I reassured them that if ever they missed their loved ones, they should not shy away from visiting our homes and consider us their extended family,” he added.

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