YOUNG ACHIEVERS

EVENTS DIRECTOR, 4GET-ME-NOT BOLD MOVE: Nujood joined Alzheimer's awareness group 4Get-Me-Not as a volunteer in June 2013 before progressing to Events Director. “My association with 4Get-Me-Not started when I was a medical student. In my 3rd year of university, I noticed that there are some limitations to a doctor's role and I wanted to reach out to individuals who perhaps could not visit the hospital for some reason. I found out about 4Get-Me-Not and I reached out to them and have been a part of the family since. I later realised the stigma associated with mental illness in the region and the need for awareness.“WORK ETHIC: A physician and intern under the Dubai Health Authority, Nujood gives up her own time for this worthy cause. “My role is to be on the lookout for event opportunities that can spread awareness of Alzheimer's. We aim to not only support the families affected by this terrible illness but also to be able to guide individuals to detect the early warning signs. I also help in ensuring the event goes smoothly and recruit volunteers to the organisation.” FUTURE GOALS: “My ultimate goal is to be an asset to the community by not just excelling in my work but also by my continued community involvement. I want to be able to impact several lives in a meaningful way,” says Nujood. “I want to be someone that serves as an inspiration to others.” BE INSPIRED: “I want it to serve as an inspiration for other young woman in the region to encourage them to focus on their education and be involved in community work. Women can excel in both their personal and professional lives.” EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DUAL INVESTMENTS BOLD MOVE: Joining a patriarchal family business as a female was not without its challenges for Mariam – but it seems there was no better woman to take the reins of her family's retail and F&B empire. “In a family business historically run by men with strong opinions, it was sometimes a challenge to find my voice and speak my mind. Luckily for me, my father has taught all his children to stand up for what they believe in even if it ruffles a few feathers. My father is my biggest inspiration. He is a self-made man who has taught me that any dream is attainable as long as you work hard enough and dedicate yourself to the goal. I am lucky to have him in my life – he is truly my hero.” WORK ETHIC: Not content to just slot into the family business without the business nous behind her, finance graduate Mariam worked in the banking industry for seven years. She then completed a Masters in International Marketing from King's College, London, tapping into her passion for fashion retail. “Once I graduated and began my banking career, I was able to gain valuable experience which I knew would one day help me when I joined the family business. My next goal was to lay a stronger foundation for the move into fashion and so I decided to pursue a Masters with an emphasis on retail and branding,” she says. FUTURE GOALS: “My ultimate goal is to turn Dual Investments from a regional retailer into a diversified global powerhouse. The only way to achieve this is through hard work and dedication, and given today's global economic climate, some smart manoeuvring.” BE INSPIRED: “I want to show all the youth in the region that hard work does pay off. I believe that the region's most valuable resource is its youth and we have to encourage their entrepreneurial spirit whenever we can.” YOUTUBE STAR, UN CHANGE AMBASSADOR FOR GENDER EQUALITY, AND FOUNDER, HAYLA COUTURE BOLD MOVE: YouTube star Hayla may just be 20 years old but she has already attracted one million subscribers and 150 million views to her Arabic channel – making her the biggest female YouTube star in the MENA region. Keen to put her powerful position to use, she was appointed Change Ambassador for Gender Equality by the United Nations. WORK ETHIC: Much more than just a flash-in-the-pan YouTuber, Hayla has worked in front of the camera for five years, starting her career in TV commercials. Instead of waiting around for her lucky break, at 18, she decided to create her own luck. “I did not want to wait for the next opportunity I got to present. I wanted to present and create content anytime, anywhere and about anything. So I turned to YouTube at the age of 18.” As well as filming comedy videos for her vlog, Hayla is also a successful retail entrepreneur with two bridal and evening gown boutiques in the Hayla Couture empire – the first opened when she was just 19 years old. FUTURE GOALS: “By being part of the first group of female YouTube creators to join the UN in their efforts to call for gender equality, I hope to help other girls find their voices and tell their stories so that they too can share their perspectives on the challenges we all face as women today.” BE INSPIRED: “My comedy videos highlight some of the gender stereotypes that still exist in our society. By shedding light on them, I hope to make social change. That change is already happening.” SINGER/SONGWRITER BOLD MOVE: When she was just 16, Esther performed for international superstar Jessie J who was so impressed by the young singer that she invited her on stage to perform at her Dubai concert. Since then, Esther's fan base has grown and two years on, she is signed to Universal Music. WORK ETHIC: Esther, the daughter of a jazz singer, grew up in a musical household and she got her first guitar at 13. “I started learning to play it myself and posted a cover on YouTube which got a lot of attention. Since meeting Jessie J at my school, I have never looked back. I've continued writing songs and started producing. By the end of 2015, I was signed with Universal Music MENA. Though this all sounds like a fairy tale, it has taken a lot of hard work and perseverance to get to this point.” FUTURE GOALS: After releasing her first two singles, Is This Love and Phoenix, earlier this year, Esther has plans to drop her debut album by the end of the year. “All the songs are written and composed by me,” she adds. BE INSPIRED: “After my Jessie J performance went viral, I was targeted by online bullies. But I've learned to stand up to anything that comes my way and to channel the hurt from malicious comments into my music.”

DR NUJOOD AL SHIRAWI MARIAM AL HASHEMI HAYLA GHAZAL ESTHER EDEN,

BOLD MOVE: Taim has dreamed of working in front of the camera since childhood when, as an eight-year-old girl, she presented her father with a newspaper advert looking for TV presenters. “He saw the and he threw it away,” she recalls. Undefeated, Taim persevered and by the time she started her Visual Communications degree a decade later, she had her father's backing. WORK ETHIC: Taim is keen to dispel the myth that being a YouTuber is an easy life. “Some people think that what I do is useless and not beneficial because it's about lifestyle, travel and food. They think I became famous overnight, which is wrong. It took a lot to reach where I am right now. Behind the lens, it takes a lot of hard work and passion. Being a female who vlogs and shares her private life was tricky, but I know my limits.” FUTURE GOALS: Taim already has a string of accolades under her belt – including winning Vlogger of the Year and Social Media Travel Star, not to mention being tipped as one of the region's most influential female Arabs – but she has a lot more she wants to achieve. Whatever comes next, she'll put her all into it, she vows. “With confidence, passion and continued hard work comes success.” BE INSPIRED: “I've been an influencer, traveller and social media personality for three years and it's one of the most interesting roles. Exploring the universe inspires me; seeing new cultures, meeting new people and visiting new places.”