Tamkeen, startAD showcase Emirati women achievers

Tamkeen and startAD, the Abu Dhabi-based startup accelerator powered by Tamkeen anchored at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), along with the US Mission to the UAE and the Abu Dhabi Government Media Office, have spotlighted the achievements of 51 inspiring Emirati women furthering innovation and entrepreneurship across various sectors.

The selected Emirati women were honoured with a commemorative book profiling their personal journeys and experience in their field titled Emirati Women Achievers.

The first copy of the book was received by Dr Maitha bint Salem Al Shamsi, Minister of State, on behalf of Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, the “Mother of the Nation”.

Rima Al Mokarrab, chair of Tamkeen and trustee of NYU; Hana Barakat, senior associate director of startAD; Nihal Shaikh, assistant director of communications at startAD, and Robin Solomon, counsellor for public affairs at the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi, were also in attendance.

The honourees were felicitated during a ceremony that included a set of keynotes and the official unveiling of the commemorative book, followed by a roundtable discussion on the significance and stories behind the 2022 Emirati Women’s Day theme: “Inspiring Reality, Sustainable Future”.

Dr Al Shamsi delivered greetings on behalf of Sheikha Fatima and sent her appreciation for this initiative on Emirati Women’s Day, and her pride in the sons and daughters of the emirates, who have proven their capabilities over the past decades. “Sheikha Fatima has established the values and principles that support women. She has enabled them to obtain the highest levels of education, encouraging them to participate in various aspects of economic, political, and social life. She also employed all capabilities to make Emirati women occupy an advanced position among the women of the world.”

She explained that this would not have been achieved without the wise leadership of the Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who possessed the vision for women to be a key partner in the growth of the UAE.

Making a mark
The women in the campaign who shared their stories and achievements expressed their pride in the UAE’s steady steps towards a sustainable and knowledge-based economy.

Mona Al-Hashmi, incubator chief at the Authority of Social Contribution, Ma’an, commented, “The UAE has established itself as a pioneer for development in the Arab world. I am optimistic and confident that further progress and growth await us at local, regional, and global levels. I dream that the UAE will reach the highest levels of gender equality in the economic and social fields.” Of her aspirations for the next 50 years, Al-Hashmi added, “My goal is to contribute and play a leading role in this journey for positive, sustainable development.”

Dr Aishah Al-Yammahi, academic board advisor at Alef Education said, “What encouraged me to pursue education as a speciality is a continuous development that the UAE is undergoing, reinforced by the UAE Vision 2071, which aims for educational sector institutions to become an incubator for entrepreneurship and innovation.”

Salwa Al Zahmi, CEO and founder of the tech start-up SPL Co, head of the Emirates ICT Innovation Centre’s Software Modernisation Quality Project, and a scientist and inventor who has created practical solutions in technology, said, “The UAE government’s huge support for women has not only given me a platform to create practical business solutions in the real world, but it also inspires me to be the voice of women in technology. I would like to become the leading provider of the most innovative solutions for cloud computing and software governance and show how the UAE can become an exporter of knowledge-economy products and services on the global stage.”