DUBAI // Thousands of blue-collar workers are receiving advice on money management as part of a push to reduce suicide rates.
Workers are also being urged to be honest with their families about their finances.
The campaign, Mission Zero Suicide, targets expatriate workers in about 4,800 labour camps and nearly 400 companies.
It urges people to avoid the "credit card trap" and seek counselling for personal issues, if necessary.
"People take this extreme step because of domestic and economic compulsions," Sudhir Shetty, chief operating officer of UAE Exchange, said yesterday. "The expectation of families from workers are very high and this has resulted in them borrowing. They don't convey the realities back home."
So far this year, 91 Indians - an average of two a week - have killed themselves in the Emirates, according to the Indian Embassy.
Last year, 97 people, mostly from Kerala state, took their own lives.
As one of the largest expatriate communities in the UAE, the suicide rate among Indians is thought to be the highest in the country.
In 2008, Indian missions registered 176 suicides - the most on record. Officials attributed the deaths to job losses brought on by the global economic downturn. Financial, psychological and personal problems have been blamed.
"We are asking people to tell the truth to their families about how much their income is and how much they can afford to send," Mr Shetty said.
"Though a foreign land promises prosperity for back home, it also offers loneliness and unnecessary indulgences for an expatriate, who takes the path to depression, ultimately taking the extreme step."
Mr Shetty said Mission Zero Suicide was initiated by UAE Exchange six months ago but was an "ongoing" initiative.
It will also reach out to white-collar workers through their companies. Plans are afoot to expand the mission to other Gulf countries, he said.
pkannan@thenational.ae
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The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
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THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) - not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
Rating: 1 out of 4
Running time: 81 minutes
Director: David Blue Garcia
Starring: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham