Lateefa Al Darei
Zayed University journalism student
ABU DHABI – Inspiring young females to start their own business with stories of Emirati female entrepreneurs was the main goal of workshop held on Oct. 6 in the UAE capital.
Azza Al Qubaisi, a jewelry designer and the owner of the brand “Arjmst,” told the audience of Emirati college students and others how she struggled to prove herself as an entrepreneur.
Al Qubaisi said that people told her that jewellery designing would not benefit the UAE, yet she tried to prove them wrong.
“Creativity and innovation is essential in everything,” she said. “And Abu Dhabi, the capital of culture and art, value these kind of creativities.
Al Qubaisi stressed the importance of taking advantage of every opportunity since the country is providing many.
The Konrad Adenhauer Stiftung (KAS) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) organized the workshop, “Females as Entrepreneurs,” which also featured a roundtable discussion of difficulties that female entrepreneurs can face in the UAE.
Muneera, 22, student at Aljazeera Institute for science and technology in Abu Dhabi, sees no obstacles except the families.
“The only obstacle that might come is from the family itself,” Muneera said. “Because the government is always supporting women at the workplace.”
Shurooq Al Zaabi, Head of Development Indicators and Future Studies Division, focused her speech on how women in the ancient Islamic world were engaging in business beside men, and how the role of women has grown in the UAE.
“The female (entrepreneurs) in the UAE have the highest rate within GCC countries,” Al Zaabi said.
H.E. Dr. Maitha Al Shamsi, Minister of State and chairwoman of the Marriage Fund, acknowledged the support and the contributions of H.H. El Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak from the very beginning of the union.
“H.H. El Sheikha Fatima was the one who started supporting and providing opportunities for women in the UAE,” Al Shamsi said.
Al Shamsi said she never planed to acquire her current position. She did her best in all of her previous jobs without aiming for a promotion.
“Success is not about being in the leadership positions, but in all areas,” she said. “We are not working for ourselves, work is a responsibility we will be asked about in front of God.”
Al Shamsi stressed the importance of raising a good generation, since they are the future of the UAE.
“Women, in the first instance, are the builders of generations,” she said. “Her first success is to build a successful generation.”
Being a working mother is one of the obstacles preventing a lot of females from becoming entrepreneurs. Therefore, we have to have the spirit and time management to be capable to succeed, she said.
Regarding to the great examples of successful entrepreneurs women in the UAE, H.E. Nikolai von Schoepff, the German ambassador in the UAE, said he is convinced that women in the UAE will overcome their obstacles.
After visiting certain schools and colleges of the UAE, we were impressed with the quality of education and the high standards you are addressing, he said.
It has been two years since the GIZ came to the UAE, and the first workshop they organized last year focused on bringing experts as guest speakers.
Thomas Birringer, Regional Representative with KAS, said the workshop will not be the last event.
“We are going to continue,” he said.
The organizers invited senior students from different collages to benefit from successful female entrepreneurs. Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development came to discuss the requirements for financial support to the students.
Female UAE Entrepreneurs 