Senegal’s loss to England on Sunday noticed Africa’s hopes of lifting the trophy in Qatar recede even additional however the migrant staff watching the sport at a specially-built fan zone have been nonetheless hoping for the largest prize of all — work past the World Cup.
Senegal’s 3-0 defeat on the Al Bayt Stadium means Morocco are the continent’s solely sporting representatives remaining within the match however in Asian Town, about 60km away, some African followers have been already wanting past the ultimate.
Migrant staff have a good time Argentina’s Lionel Messi opening purpose within the World Cup spherical of 16 soccer match between Argentina and Australia.
| Photo Credit: AP
“The ones who came just for the World Cup will definitely go back after the World Cup, but I still have my future here because I still have work to do,” Ugandan Wambaka Isaac advised Reuters.
“We’ll go doing cleaning work, offices, everywhere (there’s) a lot of work, and of course the building keeps on going,” he added.
Proudly carrying the shirt of his nationwide crew, Isaac was one in all 1000’s of migrant staff who made their approach to the fan zone after sunset to look at Sunday’s last-16 tie between France and Poland earlier than England and Senegal took centre stage.
Qatar has are available for intense criticism from human rights teams in regards to the therapy of its migrant staff, who along with different foreigners make up a majority of the inhabitants.
The fan zone is, amongst different issues, for individuals who can not afford to enter the stadium or go to the fan zone close to the corniche inside Doha.
| Photo Credit: AFP
“It’s complicated,” mentioned a younger visitors marshal from Kenya, who declined to present his title, when requested whether or not or not he would be capable to keep on after the ultimate.
“I worked in construction on the Lusail Stadium, the Al Thumama (stadium). I worked for a contractor, so you go wherever they send you. We’re marshals today, next week we might be in construction again,” he defined.
“We worked in the summer when it was very hot, long days, very hot. I was very tired all the time.”
NO WORK AT HOME
For Rahim, a ride-share driver from Bangladesh, his three-and-a-half years in Qatar have been powerful however there is no such thing as a work in his house village so he feels he has no alternative however to remain on.
“I work every day, seven days a week. First I have to pay a company for the car, it’s not mine. Then I have to pay for my food and my rent, and what is left I send to my family,” Rahim mentioned.
Scores of staff have been gathering in a transformed cricket stadium within the metropolis’s desert outskirts to benefit from the match they helped create.
| Photo Credit: AP
“During the pandemic there was no work so we lived on nothing. I’m trying to save up to go home; I haven’t seen my family in three-and-a-half years (but) if I go home there is no work so I have to have even more money.”
Rahim mentioned he wish to deliver his spouse and daughter to dwell with him in Qatar however that he didn’t make sufficient cash to have the ability to accomplish that, in order that they remained in Bangladesh.
The FIFA fan zone in Asian Town, near the place lots of the migrant staff have their residing quarters, is likely one of the few public locations in Doha exhibiting World Cup video games on large outside screens.
Most evenings the boys come out to take a seat on the grass or within the bleachers on the cricket stadium, the place the fan zone has been constructed, to look at however with an early begin within the morning many head house to mattress earlier than the ultimate whistle.
Many staff want higher lives to those they lead as migrant labour however hope to proceed working to assist their monetary circumstances.
| Photo Credit: AP
Many of the employees are depending on their employers to be allowed to remain in Qatar and the purpose is to make sure that they will keep in a job.
Jonathan, one other Ugandan, isn’t actually a fan of his job as a mechanic and would like to get an training, however he’s aiming to be right here lengthy after the ultimate.
“I’m going to stay until my contract finishes,” he mentioned.