The Workers Of Asian City
Bhulinder Singh, Qatar
My name is Bhulinder Singh, originally from India. I am working as an Operation Manager in NAAAS GROUP – a Facility Management Company in Doha Qatar for the last 7 years. I have been working as a volunteer and Ambassador with the Generation Amazing Football 4 Development (F4D) Program under the Supreme Committee for the last 4 years.
Who is in the photos? Where were the photos taken?
The workers living in Asian City, Doha, are enjoying soccer. These workers are working very hard and they are from poor families, they came to Qatar to earn money and to feed their families. We have over 30,000 workers living in Asian City. We started this kind of recreation 4 years ago for their good health and entertainment. Some of them are good players, some of them are coaches, the rest enjoying as spectators. It means we are entertaining everyone.
What did you try to show with the photos? Was there any wider meaning with the photos?
I wanted to show the unity of the different nationalities in one place where there is no meaning of religion, country and cast. One football, one team, one nation: we all are united as ONE RACE for humanity. The workers from different companies are all football fans. I wanted to show the love from the workers towards football.
You can see the discipline amongst the crowd and their sincere focus on the pitch as they are watching the match and the football is beside them. I love this spirit. The spectators generate more energy in the players who playing inside the ground.
Are there any good stories connected with the people or teams you photographed?
Some workers were spending their time with friends smoking and drinking but the day they joined our program F4D they successfully quit all these bad habits. This is a good real story of the workers who were involved with bad habits. In Asian City only, we have trained more then 3,000 foreign workers and the number is increasing day by day.
Why is football so important for your community?
Football is the game you can play anywhere on the road, in the house, corridor, terrace - just one kick and the game is on. Football is a game and this game has no differences between a man and woman. There are so many female coaches in the schools and clubs - and all children are excited for FIFA World Cup 2022.
What does football mean to you?
Football is like a medicine - one pill can relieve you from the pain. One kick can remove all the stress from the mind. Keep kicking and enjoy the game.
What will be the biggest impact of the World Cup in 2022?
This is the first FIFA World Cup in Asia. The world will see new technology in the stadiums. People will see the amazing structures of all the newly built stadiums in Qatar. Qatar is a small country but very big in technology and development.
What is the future for football in Qatar?
Everything will change in Qatar after 2022. After World Cup 2022 new opportunities will rise and interest will be developed for new generation. Qatar will develop a huge fan following in football in the coming years.
