Hi, my name is Rialanna. What seems like a lifetime ago, I worked in Dubai at a great cafe called The Lime Tree. The staff there became like family for me, and even though I was only there for a short time, I remained friends with many of the team.

Like most businesses in the region, the staff were predominantly Filipino and South Asian, and were working to support family back home. This is undeniably difficult, and many South Asian workers are treated incredibly poorly. Many of my friends returned home to their families, or left Dubai for other opportunities elsewhere. But my good friend Terence stayed, and successfully went on to work for the Dubai International Airport. This was fine, until the airport and other places in the UAE and Gulf region were targeted in missile strikes.

With the airport closed, and the main tourism industries suddenly ceasing, hundreds of thousands of migrant workers are out of work, with no security or support, and nowhere to go, while receiving active threat alarms warning of imminent attacks.

In the midst of this uncertainty, Terence’s father back home in the Philippines had a stroke. He was hospitalised, but suffered a brain bleed and passed away on April 27th. Terence has been unable to work or earn any money to support himself or cover the hospital and funeral expenses. And he can’t return home.

While I know so many people in the region are struggling, and all deserving of help, I just want to help my friend get by, and help cover some of the medical and funeral costs.