Outlanders KSA is a campaign that tells the stories of an important class in our society: foreigners working and making a living on Saudi soil.

The idea was the creation of Faisal Sheraiff, who recently returned from living and studying in the UK and the United States. Having lived as a foreigner for a while, he felt a connection between himself and the foreigners living in the Kingdom. He decided to tell their stories in order to advocate a better understanding of their lives as well as better treatment for them.

“I was an outlander myself as a student for many years and on returning and ending my struggle in a foreign country, I realized that a foreigner in the Kingdom lives ten times harder than I did. It was an eye-opening experience for me when I realized that they don’t have the privileges that we have.

"It took me awhile to actually get the courage and launch this campaign. I wanted to make an impression on my society. I chose Instagram as the launching portal since it’s the most widely used social media platform and there is no better way to convey a message than through a picture. It’s true that a picture says a thousand words but personalizing it with the person’s story makes it even more interesting,” Sheraiff said.

The campaign was prompted because there is no platform to appreciate the working class; there are many days dedicated to causes such as Children’s Day, Alzheimer’s Month or Breast Cancer Month for example. But there is need to shine the spotlight on foreigners in the Kingdom, he pointed out.

The initiative is aimed at bringing awareness to their purpose of being in the Kingdom and appreciate them more for what they do and the help the citizens get from their services.

Whether it is an engineer, a driver or a street sweeper, their stories are all told in a few words that show their dedication and commitment to Saudi Arabia and what it offers. The stories, short and simple are told in pictures which capture the attention immediately.

With the aid of two photographer friends — Hani Al-Hazmi and Faisal bin Zarah — Sheraiff scouts the streets and neighborhoods getting to know the people he features in order to build their trust.

“It’s unfortunate that when we do try to capture a photo or hear the story of someone we find interesting, they automatically run away thinking that we are only there to harm them or make fun,” says Sheraiff. It takes a little coaxing to get their stories out, but once they know they are among friends, the happiness on their faces speaks volumes of their trust, he added.

The reaction on the social networks has been overwhelmingly positive, something Sheraiff hadn’t expected as it was simply an idea to see life in the Kingdom from the foreigner’s perspective.

The buzz in the social network world accompanied with the hashtag #outlanders has turned the initiative into a campaign lead by Faisal and followers of the account have since shared their stories as well.

The account on Instagram has grown from a mere 700 something followers in the first month to over 30,000 in less than three months. The participants using the hashtag submit their pictures at least 10 times a day from all over the GCC and other areas.

The campaign has caught the attention of several celebrities in Saudi Arabia. The team from MBC’s “Laish La,” a show dedicated to fulfilling the wishes of people with real dreams, caught up with Sheraiff and organized a gathering in one of Jeddah’s biggest malls.

They asked their followers to come bearing presents for outlanders they know personally and gift wrap them with personal messages. The meet was a hit and was filmed to be featured in the show’s upcoming episode set to air in June.

The campaign is set to build more compassion and understanding for those who live among us, serve us and raise awareness of the hardships they endure living away from their home countries. Be sure to follow Sheraiff in his journey to spread kindness on Instagram’s account, OUTLANDERS_KSA and the hashtag and submit your own stories.