DUBAI, UAE — At first glance, you’d think he’s fully Arab.
But look closer—and you’ll see the heart of a Filipino beating underneath.
This is Hadee Alviar Abu Zahra, a 30-year-old Fil-Palestinian content creator whose unique blend of cultures has turned him into a rising online sensation. Known to hundreds of thousands as “Milksheikh Pinoy,” he now has over 739,000 followers across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
And his story?
It’s raw. It’s honest. It’s emotional.
And it’s resonating with Filipinos—and mixed-culture kids—around the world.
“I grew up between two worlds.”
Abu Zahra’s childhood was far from simple.
“Honestly, my story is a mix of unexpected turns, quiet battles, and a lot of rebuilding,” he shares. “I grew up between two cultures, always trying to understand where I fit.”
Half-Filipino, half-Palestinian.
Born and raised in Dubai.
Pulled between two identities, yet belonging fully to neither.
He once admitted, “I wasn’t Arab enough for the Arabs, and I wasn’t Filipino enough for the Filipinos.”
And that in-between space?
He says it was lonely.
Loss, identity, and the long road home
His mother—a Filipina—passed away when he was just 11.
His father died later.
The grief, he admits, shaped him. It forced him to rebuild his identity from scratch.
“I had to relearn a new identity and become more Arab,” he says. “But my upbringing was very Pinoy. I carried that with me.”
He barely spoke Tagalog growing up.
But eventually—by reconnecting with the Filipino community—he learned the language and embraced the culture he never fully grew up with.
Today, he describes himself as someone “still learning, still growing, still building.”
And his message is simple but powerful:
“You can start again anytime. You can create a life that feels like yours, no matter how many times you had to begin at zero.”
From silent battles to storytelling
Over time, he realized that his so-called “confusing” identity was actually his greatest strength.
“Over time, I became a storyteller for people like me—OFWs, mixed-culture kids, anyone trying to survive quietly while building something meaningful.”
His platforms became a safe place—
A space for humor…
Healing…
Representation…
Connection.
It’s why his videos carry both heart and hilarity.
It’s why people feel seen in his stories.
Building community, one story at a time
Before becoming a full-time creator, Abu Zahra worked at the Philippine Consulate General in Dubai, helping OFW groups and organizing community events.
Later, he helped build a popular content platform spotlighting the lives of Filipinos in the UAE—stories that rarely get told, but deeply matter.
Eventually, he stepped into his own path, launching “Milksheikh Pinoy.”
And from there, everything clicked.
His identity, once confusing, is now his brand.
His voice, once quiet, is now heard across the world.
A story shared by many
In the UAE, Abu Zahra is not alone.
There are countless mixed-culture children—Filipino-Arab, Filipino-Indian, Filipino-Pakistani, Filipino-European—each navigating their own blend of identities.
But through his journey, Abu Zahra has become something powerful:
A mirror. A voice. A bridge.
A reminder that identity can be messy, painful, and complicated—
But it can also be beautiful.
And when told with honesty,
It can inspire thousands.
