Maria Lacerda receives her token cheque at the Emirates Labour Market Award. MOHRE

A Filipina cleaner in Abu Dhabi said her prayers were answered when she won the Dh100,000 prize in the Emirates Labour Market Award. Maria Lacerda, a cleaning assistant at Emirates Business Group in Abu Dhabi, received her cash prize from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation after topping as Best Employee in the workforce category. She was one of 18 workers who were awarded Dh100,000 for their outstanding contributions to their workplace. Speaking to media, Lacerda said it is her first time to win an award. “When I was finally given the amount, I started thanking God who listened and answered my prayers and dreams,” she told The National. The Filipina said her award came as a surprise because no one in the company knew until it was announced by the Human Resources department. She said that the company’s HR nominated her because her performance evaluation showed that she was one of the best-performing staffers in the company. The 44-year-old Lacerda said that she will use her winnings to pay for her children’s college education and to construct a house in the Philippines. She has already used part of the money to buy a 3,229sqft land. Lacerda moved from the Philippines to the UAE in 2011 to work in order to support her children's education. She currently lives in Al Khalidiya and has been working for Emirates Business Group since 2015. ICA/Expat Media
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