As COP28 approaches, which will be held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12, 2023, it is interesting to look at the African diasporas present in the economic capital of the United Arab Emirates. Dubai is attracting more and more Africans, whether workers, senior executives or entrepreneurs. As part of our series of portraits, today we are focusing on Julie, a Ugandan woman in search of a better life.
Julie, aged 41, is from Kampala, the capital of Uganda. She explains the reasons that pushed her to leave her country of origin: “Before leaving, I had a small pharmacy in Uganda. But the money I earned was not enough to support my family and ensure the education of my children…”
Faced with this difficult situation, Julie made the decision to leave in search of a better life. She doesn’t want her “babies”, as she affectionately calls them, to experience the same childhood as her. She told her parents, who agreed, even though they didn’t really have a choice. Dubai quickly emerged as the ideal destination: close but not too close, and not too expensive either. Additionally, around 100,000 Ugandans already live in the emirate. Julie explains: “I came here with an agency that provided me with a visa without having to pay. I also found an employer who covered my plane ticket. At first, I worked as a nanny and I earned around 250 euros per month. But after two years I had to stop. Now I work as a waitress in a cafe and I earn a little less than 800 euros per month. Although my financial situation is “is improved, I spend around 350 euros per month on transport, accommodation and food.”
Despite this, Julie manages to save a little less than 400 euros per month, which she systematically sends to her family in Uganda. For her, it is a “sacrifice” necessary to ensure a better education for her children: “They know my situation and my children now live with my mother. But the good thing is that I can allow them to go in a good school. I pay their tuition on time. It’s a sacrifice to work here, but I know it will allow them to get a better education and find a good job, rather than having to come here.”
In the meantime, Julie shares a small room with four compatriots. This is where they spend most of their free time, far from home but with the hope of a better future for themselves and their families.
The African diaspora in Dubai is a growing phenomenon, attracted by economic opportunities and the prospect of a better life. Julie embodies this quest, ready to make sacrifices to offer her children a quality education and a more stable life. His story is one of the many testimonies of a complex and contrasting reality, where hope and struggle mingle to chart a new path towards a better future.