My family unit consists of six people in total; myself, my three siblings, my mom and dad. However I always conceived us to be a family of seven; the 7^th member being our nanny from the Philippines-- Zubaidah.

Zubaidah came to work for my family by way of my paternal grandmother Aisha Al-Baker. When my grandmother passed away my father brought her in to work for us. For more than twenty years since my birth she became a quintessential part of my entire family’s life and I can’t imagine what my upbringing would have been like without her in it.

Because of her, I feel an immediate kinship with Filipinos anywhere I go in the world. Even though I can’t speak the language (yet) I feel like an extended family member of the global Kabayan community.

As a Qatari, I sincerely want to thank the Filipino community in Qatar for all their hard work and undeniable contribution to the development of this country. I especially want to thank you for standing by Qatar and showing your support during the recent crisis.

Thank you Kabayans.