Dubai, Nov 8: One-year-old Reza Sameer has bagged a BMW car, worth Dh130,000. The baby girl is one among the 12 winners of a summer raffle draw held by the Al Madina Group. Its Summer Drive' promotion was held from July 10 to October 10.
Twelve BMW cars worth a total of Dh1.56 million now belong to winners who live in labour camps. Mohammed Taha, general manager of Al Madina Group, said: “The working class constitutes the bulk of the group's customer base. Because most of the winners did not even have a driving licence, they were stunned to hear the good news.”
Reza's father, Shamseer Abdul Rahman, who received the keys and documents of the new BMW car, said that he was happy to have got a BMW car as prize in the Al Madina shopping raffle. “We live in Sharjah and never owned a car, and of late moving around in public transport has become a major problem with his twin girls.”
Tazul Islam, a Bangladeshi blue-collar worker from Abu Dhabi who earns Dh1,500 a month, said: “I did shopping for Dh500 as part of my vacation plans. When I saw my name and mobile phone number on the Al Madina supermarket notice board, I could not believe my eyes. I don't have a driving licence and I may sell the car to collect the prize money.” Tazul came with two friends from Abu Dhabi to receive the car's keys in Dubai.
The winners include seven Indians - Mukesh Kumawavath, Harbal Singh, Gopal, Riyas P M, Chandan Savu, Nithish and Reza Shamseer, one Pakistani (Mufassal), two Bangladeshis (Muffassal and Tazul Islam) and one Filipino Ezel Longos.
“I work as an electrician in Jebel Ali earning Dh3,200 per month. I bought some things from the Dubai Investment Park branch of Al Madina Supermarket. I am happy to have won a BMW though I don't have a driving licence. I will sell the car and send the money to my family in the Philippines. I have four school-going children,” said Ezel.
An Omani policeman Ashib Seeni is also on the list of winners.
Abdullah Poyil, managing director of Al Madina Group, said the group was established in 1967 as neighbourhood convenience stores targeting labour camp residents and lower middle class families. The group, which has about 50 outlets at present, plans to double the number within the next three years.
“We plan to open 10 new branches, nine in the UAE and one in Saudi Arabia next year. About 4,000 people work in the group and we are always keen that our regular customers, especially the labourers, gain from such raffle draws,” Poyil said.
Sayed Nallor, administration manager of Al Madina Group, who has overseen the distribution of the prizes for the last four years, said: “Last year, an Iranian father of twin girls won the prize. In the past, our winners included Pakistani workers and a Nigerian security guard. Sometimes it is difficult to read their names and contact them because many of them do not know how to read and write. When I contacted them with the good news, many of them could not believe that they are the real winners.
The BMW car prizes were distributed on Wednesday at a function held at the Crown Plaza Hotel, Deira in the presence of some of the sponsors.
Manu Batra, general manager of Sapil, Kingston Fernandez, head of sales, Al Ain Dairy, Sivan Kutty, CEO of Altima Electronics, Shamsudeen, MD of Nellara Food Products, Ignatius, Operations Manager of Coca-Cola, and Mohammed Ali, operations manager, Al Madina Group, were present at the prize distribution ceremony.
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