VP Abdul Salam Haji
Managing Director
Safa City supermarket
From solving labour-related matters to helping NRIs from the lower rungs of society, V P Abdul Salam Haji is the quintessential Good Samaritan whom people trust. The Managing Director of Safa City supermarket chain in Salalah, Abdul Salam is one of the prominent faces when it comes to social workers who go the extra mile to alleviate the sufferings of countless expatriates who toil in the country. He has been active in the social work circuit in the city for more than two decades.
A Journey That Began in Nadapuram
Abdul Salam was born in Cheeyoor near Nadapuram in Kozhikode District to Kunhammah Haji, an agriculturist, and Kuhami, a homemaker. From a young age, he displayed compassion towards others which proved to be the stepping stone into social work later. He got the chance to work in the Sultanate of Oman way back in 1991 when he joined Al Warda, a footwear company in Salalah. Later, he decided to test his fortune in business by setting up a shop. Unfortunately, he had to wind it up in 1997. The same year he joined Dhofar Plastic Company. Once again, he took the plunge into business by launching and import-export enterprise from Mumbai. But that, along with several others, ended in a fiasco. Not to give up like the legendary Robert Bruce, he started a footwear business which gradually tasted success.
In 1994-95, he opened a shop and a canteen at the Royal Airforce of Oman camp at Thumrait and that triggered the growth phase of Abdul Salam. He began a supermarket business in 1998 under the Safa City brand in Salalah and it gradually sprouted branches and became a chain by 2008.
Lending a Helping Hand
Abdul Salam finds time for social activities despite his busy business schedule. He is the go-to person for expatriates who face labour issues and problems related to their documents and repatriation. He is also active in the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) and became the area working general secretary. In 2008, he became its treasurer and is now serving as its Acting President. Abdul Salam is also an executive committee member of the Indian Social Club Salalah.
Family
As he juggles business and social work, it is his family that remains a pillar of strength for Abdul Salam. He is married to Shahida, a homemaker and they are blessed with eight children.
The eldest Shamna is married and the second Shamina too is married and settled in the UAE. The third Shalima completed graduation and is settled in Qatar. The fourth child Shahaama is a Class XII student at Indian School Salalah. The fifth, Safa Salam, is in Class VI. The sixth and seventh kids, Sidrah Mumtha and Sidrath Niyaya, are twins. The youngest child Fathima is a UKG student.
Contact Information
VP Abdul Salam Haji
Valiya Prarambath House, Vishnumangalam Post, Kallachi via 673506
GSM: +91 9400003786
