It all started when Sophia Sarah Addas asked a cleaning lady at her fitness club a simple question: “If you had all the money in the world, what would you do?”. The cleaning lady, Khadija, said, “I would go for Umrah.”
The Saudi expat and her family were moved by Khadija’s heartfelt response. They decided to turn her dream into reality and surprised her with an all-expenses-paid Umrah trip by air. The experience was truly transformative for Khadija, and it ignited an idea in Sophia.
Inspired by Khadija’s story in April 2023, Sophia decided to launch an initiative to send other labour workers on Umrah trips. Starting in April 2024, the ‘U4LW’ initiative sent five buses, with 49 labourers per bus, with the sixth bus taking off on Saturday, August 3. Until now, 211 blue-collar workers from Dubai had the chance to perform Umrah with the help of Sophia’s initiative.
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Sophia, the founder of Umrah4LaborWorkers and also the Director of Deloitte Middle East, recognised that these hard-working individuals often lacked the means to fulfil this important religious obligation. She believes that providing them with the opportunity to perform Umrah could have a profound impact on their lives and faith.
Her initiative quickly gained momentum, and she began reaching out to other workers, offering them the chance to embark on this life-changing journey. The response was overwhelming, as workers from various backgrounds and industries expressed their immense gratitude and excitement at the prospect of being able to fulfil this spiritual obligation.
Many of the workers chosen for the initiative were overwhelmed with emotion and appreciation. Muhammad Rafique, a machine operator who was selected, shared his thoughts: “Thanks to Allah for this blessed and wonderful experience of my whole life… to go to Makkah and perform Umrah.”
“The time we spent in Makkah and Madinah, we will remember for the rest of our lives,” shared Muhammad Faizan, an electrician who also participated.
“I am very happy you have fulfilled the greatest desire of my heart,” said Anwar Jubair, a Careem driver, who had the opportunity to perform Umrah with the initiative.
The Umrah pilgrimage, which lasts eight days with two nights in Madinah and three nights in Makkah, is a life-changing experience for many. The 24-hour bus journey allows workers to bond and prepare themselves spiritually for the journey ahead.
The initiative has not only fulfilled the spiritual dreams of blue-collar workers but has also transformed their lives. “The reaction is ecstatic. For only Dh1,500, their dream comes true,” Sophia told Khaleej Times. “They guide and encourage other workers during the process, and the amount of duas (prayers) they send to our team is unmeasurable.”
Even with her full-time job, Sophia is always thinking of ways to make her initiative better. “I want to expand and make more people’s dreams come true,” she said. Hence, why the buses to Umrah always depart on Saturdays — Sophia’s day off — as she dedicates this day to ensuring the operation goes smoothly.
The criteria for the Umrah program are those who have never performed the pilgrimage before and have a salary between Dh2,000 – Dh2,500. In 2024, the programme sent 163 labour workers from April 14 to May 15. Sophie aspires to send 1 million blue-collar workers to Umrah.
Umrah4LaborWorkers is also planning to send a bus for female workers once they have enough applicants.
The package, which costs Dh1,500 per person, is provided by the initiative’s platform to anyone who is willing to gift an Umrah package to a labour worker. This covers visa processing, medical insurance, transportation, accommodation, meals, Ihram clothing, and the guidance of experienced Umrah guides.