Shocked by the devastation caused by the Kerala floods in August, a retired Dubai Police official is now actively involved in rebuilding efforts in the Indian state.

First Warrant Officer Mushtaq Ahmed, an Indian who served as head of the photography section of the General Department of Community Happiness at Dubai Police, could not rest when he saw the visuals from the floods that killed more than 400 people and left 800,000 homeless.

“I was shocked to see people suffering after the waters destroyed their houses. I decided that I needed to make a move,” said Ahmed, a UAE resident since 1977.

The 72-year-old retired official managed to collect Rs1.5 million (about Dh75,000) with some friends and set off for Kerala. He has since helped rebuild three houses and is also funding repairs to others.

“The poor were the ones who were the worst affected. Some lost their lives while others lost their already ramshackle dwellings.”

Ahmed also contributed to an orphanage and a school with over 1,000 children. He said mere donations are impersonal. “Sometimes you need to go personally and see what people are going through and get involved,” said Ahmed. After spending 41 years documenting the history of Dubai Police through his photographs, he said he has found a sense of purpose.

sherouk@khaleejtimes.com

source: http://www.khaleejtimes.com / Khaleej Times / Home> Nation> Dubai / by Sherouk Zakaria, Dubai / October 19th, 2018