{"id":36109,"date":"2025-11-13T06:54:39","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T06:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/?p=36109"},"modified":"2025-11-13T07:44:50","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T07:44:50","slug":"expat-shares-journey-arrived-in-dubai-by-boat-in-1967-and-has-lived-in-uae-for-58-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/2025\/11\/13\/expat-shares-journey-arrived-in-dubai-by-boat-in-1967-and-has-lived-in-uae-for-58-years\/","title":{"rendered":"“Expat Shares Journey: Arrived in Dubai by Boat in 1967 and Has Lived in UAE for 58 Years”"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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\u201cHe would recall how they constantly altered the sails to match the wind\u2019s direction. At times, the sea lay tranquil; at others, it raged fiercely. Yet, it was hope that carried them forward.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\u201cWhen the dhow at last reached the Omani shoreline, he dove into the water. \u2018I was wearing just a lungi and a shirt, both drenched,\u2019 he recalled with a faint smile. \u2018I had to twist them with my hands to squeeze out the water before putting them back on.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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From Dibba Al Baya, they were driven part of the way by van to the Oman\u2013UAE border and then walked for hours to reach Khorfakkan. \u2018We didn\u2019t know exactly where we were going, only that this promised new opportunities,\u2019 he remembered. There, he noticed a truck loaded with watermelons. \u2018I bought a ride and jumped on\u2014that\u2019s how I made it to Sharjah,\u2019 he said.\u201d<\/p>

When he reached the UAE, the country was still in its early days. Roads were unpaved, with only sandy paths linking Deira to Rolla in Sharjah. \u2018Back home, people said the land seemed empty, but that it held hidden wealth beneath the sand. Everyone believed the desert had secrets waiting to be discovered,\u2019 he recalled.<\/p>

Upon arriving in Sharjah, he stayed with a friend who worked at a small grocery owned by an Emirati. \u2018The shopkeeper always welcomed anyone in need. That spirit of generosity\u2014that\u2019s something I still see in Emiratis today,\u2019 he said with deep respect.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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His first employment was as an assistant to a plumber, an African man named Mugeni. He earned five Qatar Dubai Rials a day but quickly realized the job wasn\u2019t for him. \u201cMy hands would sweat constantly, and I couldn\u2019t hold the tools properly. After a week, he told me to take a few days off\u2014I didn\u2019t understand then that it actually meant I was fired,\u201d he chuckled. \u201cStill, he paid me for twenty days, a total of 100 Qatar Dubai Rials. That was my very first salary in the Trucial States.\u201d<\/p>

Kunhu Mohamed tried his hand at various jobs\u2014making fishing baskets, milking cows, and washing utensils. \u201cI never refused any work. I believed that if I stayed sincere, Allah would always guide me to the next opportunity,\u201d he said.<\/p>

His hard work soon caught attention. \u201cWhile cleaning utensils one day, I noticed my employer\u2019s car was dirty. I washed it, polished it, and even burned bukhoor inside. He was impressed and raised my salary by 100 Qatar Dubai Rials, though I also took on the responsibility of maintaining the car,\u201d he recalled. \u201cThat experience taught me a lesson: when you do more than what\u2019s expected, people remember you.\u201d<\/p>

Eventually, he was entrusted with tending the family\u2019s garden, using a mix of cow dung and wood ash as fertilizer. \u201cThe flowers bloomed beautifully,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was the first time I truly felt proud of the work I had done.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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A major shift in his life happened when a friend connected him with Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the then Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah. \u201cI started working as a driver in the Sheikh\u2019s household. I knew the basics of driving, but the sight of the Mercedes intimidated me,\u201d he recalled. \u201cI eased it into reverse very slowly, and that\u2019s how I learned to handle it.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Kunhu Mohamed served the Sheikh\u2019s household for four years. \u201cThey always treated me with respect, and I learned the importance of trust and being responsible,\u201d he reflected. During this period, he started selling vegetables from the Sheikh\u2019s farm at the local market. \u201cBecause I kept my accounts accurate, I was given more freedom to trade. That\u2019s how my business began\u2014small, honest, and growing steadily.\u201d<\/p>

In 1972, he formally launched his business, Jaleel Traders, which eventually grew into Jaleel Holdings. With the Sheikh\u2019s support, he purchased his first vehicle to carry goods. \u201cHe believed in me even when I couldn\u2019t afford it. I\u2019ve never forgotten that trust,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Jaleel Holdings expanded from a small food trading outlet in Al Ras, Dubai, into a leading group distributing fresh produce and FMCG products to retail stores, hotels, and restaurants. Today, the company has over 1,700 employees.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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When I began in Al Ras, there were just thirteen traders\u2014two Indians, a handful of Lebanese and Palestinians, and a few Iranians. Dubai was a very different place back then; everyone knew each other,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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He remembers making 200 Qatar Dubai Rials while his driver received 350 Qatar Dubai Rials. \u201cI always reserved a portion of my earnings for charitable work,\u201d he said. \u201cThat practice has remained with me, regardless of whether I had a lot or very little.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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As his business developed, he branched out to the fish market, then to Hamriya, and eventually Awir. Along the journey, he experienced both success and setbacks. \u201cI once suffered a loss in the Hamriya market and had to sell my properties back home to recover,\u201d he recalled. \u201cBut setbacks never frightened me\u2014they only showed me how much progress I had already made.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Kunhu Mohamed didn\u2019t just create a business\u2014he fostered a way of working. \u201cMy advice to anyone coming to Dubai is straightforward: earn trust,\u201d he said. \u201cLook after your employees as if they were family. I make it a point to check on everyone\u2019s wellbeing, and if I can\u2019t speak to them personally, I follow up through HR.\u201d<\/p>

He has one principle he strictly follows\u2014never postpone paying a worker\u2019s wages. \u201cThe Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, \u2018Give the worker his pay before his sweat dries.\u2019 That has always guided my actions,\u201d he said.<\/p>

Even at 79, Kunhu Mohamed continues to visit the office every day. \u201cNot for the work,\u201d he chuckled, \u201cbut to connect with my team. Seeing and talking to them brings me joy.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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He splits his time between Dubai and India, spending about two months in each location. His mornings start with yoga, while his evenings are often reserved for peaceful reflection. \u201cWhenever I see the skyline today, I think back to the dusty road that once ran between Deira and Rolla. It\u2019s a reminder of how much this country\u2014and all of us\u2014have progressed,\u201d he said.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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He has three sons\u2014Sameer, Dr. Zakir, and Abdul Gafoor\u2014with two actively involved in the business, and all three serving on the board. Dr. Zakir works as a consultant surgeon and is the regional medical director at NMC Healthcare. The company carries the name of his younger brother, Jaleel, whom he calls his good luck. \u201cHe has been a true blessing for me and our family,\u201d he said.<\/p>

Despite all his success, his humility has never wavered. \u201cWhen I arrived here, I had nothing but faith,\u201d he said, his voice softening with recollection. \u201cI never imagined I would reach this point. It is only by Allah\u2019s will that I am where I am today.\u201d<\/p>

He pauses, gazing again at the sea\u2014the very same waters he crossed nearly sixty years ago.<\/p>

\u201cEvery time I look at the Arabian Sea, I think of the day I plunged into it wearing nothing but a single set of clothes. Everything that came after\u2026 felt like destiny.\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“An expat who arrived in Dubai by boat in 1967 has spent 58 years living in the UAE, sharing his remarkable journey and experiences over nearly six decades.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36110,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"post_template":[],"top_category":[],"class_list":["post-36109","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","pmpro-has-access"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36109","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36109"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36109\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36115,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36109\/revisions\/36115"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36109"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36109"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36109"},{"taxonomy":"post_template","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_template?post=36109"},{"taxonomy":"top_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insider18.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/top_category?post=36109"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}