Help Nicole and her baby leave Dubai.

My friend Nicole Nwachie, cannot leave Dubai with her one-year-old daughter because of a 124,000 dirham ($33,700) court debt. She is a small business owner and a chef who had a dream. Though she was educated in Microbiology, she had a passion for cooking and wanted to open a restaurant in an attractive and expanding area; Dubai. It was a risk, yet for a time, her restaurant and catering business, "Like Mama Does" was reasonably successful. However, a recent change in immigration in Dubai cut into her customer base, which is mostly expats. Now, with the current insanity in that part of the world, and Dubai being mostly tourists and expats in general, businesses across the region are being negatively affected. And hers is among the worst. Her dream has turned into a nightmare.

She has to pay a fine due to the debt related to the slowing of her business. Plus, she and her daughter cannot leave until the fine is paid. And if it is not paid by a certain time, it will become a criminal matter, and she will be taken into custody. What will happen to her one-year-old daughter at that point is uncertain.

In Her words:

Thank you, everyone for reading this.

Until this amount is fully paid, there is a travel ban against me. I cannot legally leave the country. But because of the craziness, I can't make money.

I live in constant fear of being detained and separated from my baby. I am a single mother, and we only have each other here.

This is my 6th year living in Dubai. Over the past year, I lost my business, my financial stability, and the small support system I had.

In 2022, I invested 100,000 dirhams into a cloud kitchen to grow my food business. And it worked! However, a few years later, a major visa restriction affected people from my country, and I lost over 80% of my customer base.

I tried for months to keep the business running, but eventually I could no longer afford the space and had to let it go.

In November 2025, the owner of the kitchen filed a case against me for not completing the rental contract. I attended court hearings on my own because I could not afford a lawyer.

In February 2026, the court ruled that I must pay 124,000 dirhams. This is $33,700 USD

Since then, I have done everything within my means to survive and resolve this. I take small catering jobs and work as a private chef when I can, but I am unable to raise this amount on my own.

Recently, with the instability in the region, work has become even more difficult to find. I am struggling to meet even basic needs, including rent.

Right now, I am stuck in a country where I no longer have stability, support, or a clear path forward.

My goal is simple:

To clear this debt and leave Dubai safely with my child.

I want to go somewhere I can access support and rebuild a stable life for my daughter.

I am asking for help during one of the most difficult moments of my life.

Every contribution — no matter how small — will go directly toward paying this court-ordered debt and lifting the travel ban so I can leave legally with my baby.

If you are unable to donate, please consider sharing my story. That alone can help me reach someone who can.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and for any support you can offer.

Even $10 can make a difference if enough people come together.