Dubai club fosters community for senior expats

In Dubai, United Arab Emirates, senior expatriates are finding companionship and purpose through the Smartlife club.

Ninety-year-old Kuldip Singh, a recent arrival to the UAE, regularly attends meetings and feels a renewed sense of connection. British expat Meenu Choitram joined after moving to Dubai to be near her children, finding the group offered the social interaction she needed after leaving a life of 45 years in the UK.

The Smart Senior Citizen and Single Parent project began two years ago as a response to an increasing number of retired residents arriving in Dubai with Golden Visas. Manjula Ramakrishnan, one of the founders, envisioned a community that would combat loneliness among these newcomers and long-term residents alike. The club currently has 72 members and meets twice a month, combining educational sessions with social activities.

The group operates as a volunteer-run initiative with 14 people donating their time, and relies on donated spaces for its meetings because of budget limitations. Ramakrishnan hopes to eventually combine the senior citizen program with a single parent program, allowing the seniors to serve as mentors and “local grandparents” to the mothers. A recent widow within the group shared that the club provides important companionship when her son is unavailable.