A nanny working in Dubai could not believe her luck when a taxi driver returned her wallet containing Dh4,000 after she left it in his car.
Cynthia Labuz, 62, was worried sick she had lost the money, which she was planning to send home to her mother and daughters in the Philippines.
But thanks to honest Roads and Transport Authority driver Anwar Abdulrahman, she got her savings back.
“I tried praying because I was so upset about losing the money,” Ms Labuz said.
“Every month my family is waiting for that money to arrive and I was worried about what would happen after I lost it.”
The live-out nanny, who works in Dubai Marina, was returning to her home in Satwa with her friend when she left the wallet in the vehicle.
It was not until after the taxi, driven by Mr Abdulrahman, had sped off that she realised she no longer had the wallet on her.
“It was a really busy evening with traffic and the taxi had to double park to be able to let us out,” she said.
“The driver couldn’t wait around and it wasn’t until later when I went to the store that I noticed l no longer had my wallet.
“I forgot that my wallet had been on my lap because I had been looking for change and it fell off my knee when I got out.”
Thankfully, Ms Labuz was able to track the identity of the taxi driver as her friend had booked the cab via the Careem app.
The loss of the money would have been all the harder as her five daughters back home depend on her to help provide for them.
"My husband died 30 years ago when they were very young so I need to look after them,” she said.
Ms Labuz sought the help of her British employer, Louise Belton, 42, who contacted the transport authority.
Ms Belton was able to find the driver and arranged for him to come to her home in Jumeirah Beach Residences, to give her a nanny a welcome surprise.
“My money was there and it was just like magic,” Ms Labuz said.
“I was so happy I couldn’t believe it.”
Ms Belton said she was happy to help her employee.
“I told Cynthia there was a delivery outside and I needed her help to bring it in,” she said.
“The taxi driver was there and he gave her the wallet.”
Mr Abdulrahman, 35, the Bangladeshi driver, said he was delighted he was able to return the wallet and its contents to its owner.
"I found it when I finished duty and was cleaning my car,” said the father of two.
“The company gave my mobile number to the customer and after speaking to them I drove to their location and returned the wallet.
“I was very happy to be able to help and they were kind enough to give me a big tip as well.”
Nannies in Dubai - in pictures
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In March 2021, the country's labour ministry said it would close all of the privately-run recruitment agencies that hire and supply domestic workers to tackle abuse in the industry. Instead, government-run centres will handle all applications and hiring for families. Pawan Singh / The National -
Officials said there would be an exception for agencies based in the country's economic freezones, which have their own rules and regulators. It was not clear if there are many maid agencies based there, nor whether those facing closure could move to a freezone. Pawan Singh / The National -
A nanny looks after a girl as she plays in a park in Dubai. In the Gulf, the low cost of labour and the financial need for both parents to work full-time mean live-in maids and nannies are very common. Jaime Puebla / The National -
Nannies take a first aid in Dubai that focused on children and babies. Jeff Topping / The National -
Two nannies accompany a family at Dubai Mall. It is estimated that at least tens of thousands of people in the UAE are employed as domestic workers. Pawan Singh / The National
