Inter-labour camp tournament: No work, let’s play

They are usually toiling away in gruelling conditions, just longing for the end to another rough day "at the office". But this was definitely one day the UAE’s labour accommodation residents were hoping would go on forever.

The Millionaire Co-sponsored inter-labour camp indoor cricket tournament at the Chevrolet InSportz Club in Al Quoz presented them with the perfect opportunity to forget their troubles and have some fun. And that’s just what they did. The fact that they turned up an hour and a half before the tournament was due to begin illustrated just how much the day meant.

With 36 teams, all from labour camps, in the fray, each comprising eight players and two substitutes, the venue was swarming with action and the look of glee on each of the 300-odd faces was indeed a sight to behold.

But make no mistake, though the onus was on enjoyment, winning mattered just as much to these guys. Such was the level of interest that everyone’s attention was focused on the scenes in front of them rather than the intriguing second day’s play of the second Test between Sri Lanka and India being shown on two TV screens behind.

As Shivanand Sitaram, whose team Multigraphics Production reached the final of the main division said: "For us, this was more important."

Vijay Kumar who earns his living preparing cakes and pastries at Modern Bakery went on to explain why. "Labourers suffer from bouts of depression. But you forget about that at these kinds of places," said the 23-year-old. "You get a second life here. Your mind is refreshed. We would really like to thank the organisers because we don’t get opportunities like this. Labourers get a basic salary of Dh500, and it costs Dh35 per person to play here, so we can’t afford it." Sitaram added: "This is the first time we are playing in such a tournament. We used to play in an area just in front of our office. We hope to see more tournaments like this in the future. It gives us a chance to meet other labourers."

The tournament was organised by InSportz and each team’s entry fee was taken care of by The Millionaire Co.

"I think it’s important to offer an emotional connection," said Christian Franzeline, CEO of The Millionaire Co. "We learn what’s important to these guys. You can make such a comparable difference with such little effort."

Menino Po, Manager of InSportz, agreed with Franzeline. "We wanted to give an opportunity to the underprivileged people who don’t normally get the time. It was nice to see so many of them turning up," he said.