Covid-19 lockdown: Pregnant Hyderabad woman finds care and concern in Dubai

HYDERABAD: A seven months pregnant woman from Hyderabad, Hajera Begum, who fell into difficulties in Dubai was given shelter and accommodation by a social worker from Nizamabad, Ullengu Sharada.
Not only was she taken care of for a week, Sharada also organised what is called a ‘Srimantham’ for the pregnant woman on July 27 before helping her return to India.
‘Srimantham’ is a ritual performed wishing the woman would have a safe delivery. Hajera Begum arrived in Hyderabad from Dubai on July 28.
The 31-year-old Hajera Begum went to Dubai on February 12 on a visit visa by an agent. She was sent for work as a housemaid through an agency in Al Ain. The following month in March, those who took her there applied for an employment visa for her. While undergoing medical tests, the reports showed that she was pregnant. As rules do not permit a pregnant woman to work as a housemaid, she was asked to be sent back to India. This could not happen because of the Covid-19 situation and lockdown.
The agency bought an air ticket for her to fly on July 14. They left her at terminal 2 at the airport to catch the flight. However, the flight got cancelled and Hajera Begum did not know what to do. At the airport, she also found another woman Karupotha sujatha of Tadepalligudem in Andhra Pradesh who had also got stuck at the airport.
According to Mandha Bheem Reddy, president of Emigrants Welfare Forum, the women survived at the airport from what passengers gave them looking at their pitiable condition. On coming to know of their plight, Friends of India Association volunteer Surathani Malla Reddy met them on July 22 and got them out of the airport, provided them food and took them to the Consulate General of India, Dubai and explained their condition.
Another social worker Uma Shankari urged the consulate to provide free air tickets. While the consulate provided a free ticket for Hajera Begum on July 28, the Jain Seva Mission bought a ticket for Sujatha and Rupesh Mehta of the mission handed over the ticket to her to fly on July 30.