Like the estimated almost half a million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Dubai, Godi Olis had one dream – make life a little better.
Olis started as a tricycle driver in the Philippines, however, his income after a long day under the sun picking up and dropping off passengers was barely enough to serve his family food everyday.
“Nag-tricycle driver ako, sa pagmamaneho ko, kumbaga tama lang may pangkain ka sa araw-araw,” he said.
Olis comes from a big family which made it hard for his parents to send him to school then.
“Sa Pilipinas, malaki kaming pamilya. Mahirap lang ang buhay and then halos hindi kami mapag-aral ng pamilya namin, ng mga magulang ko,” he told “My Puhunan.”
This prompted Olis to fly to the Middle East with hopes of having better financial opportunities there.
“Napakahirap dahil nasa gitna po kami ng disyerto. Kapag inabot kayo ng break sa trabaho halos dumudugo na po ang ilong namin kung hindi mo kakayanin ang init. But then, ‘yan ang trabaho namin eh,” said Olis.
Olis worked a tedious job in landscaping and irrigation industry. There, he was exposed under the extreme of the sun for longs hours. But this experience only inspired him to enter the tourism industry.
Olis became a driver for a tour company in Dubai, however, he was eventually laid off. Instead of being disappointed, Olis turned the failure into an inspiration when he decided to loan money to buy a 4×4 vehicle and started a Desert Safari tour business.
Today, Olis has 15 units for his Off Road Adventures tour and remains to be the only Filipino in Dubai to operate a Desert Safari tour.
