She overcame vision problem by believing in herself
Managing a hectic schedule of events and activities as a public relations officer is at the best of times a demanding task for anyone but particularly so when the individual is visually impaired.
Mahra Ali Al Daheri, an Emirati who has been working with the Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority (ADFCA) for 13 years, lost her vision at the age of five due to an illness. But she never allowed this handicap or the social stigma attached to it to thwart her ambitions.
She took up education with a determination that saw her reach the milestones she had set for herself. “Back then, there were no books in Braille so I had a person read to me and memorised the textbooks.”
At school, she was distanced by her peers as they believed she would be able to achieve little.
“Step by step, I completed my schooling, college and procured my master’s in business administration,” Al Daheri told Gulf News.
With an MBA from the American University of Dubai, she also graduated in Public Relations from UAE University in Al Ain. And today, she holds a managerial position at ADFCA.
She is convinced that self-determination is an individual’s greatest strength. “if a person is determined to take on challenges, they can do it. Nothing is impossible as Shaikh Zayed proved in the way he turned the UAE into a dynamic country.” In 2013, she was honoured with the Abu Dhabi Awards for Excellence in Government Performance by Shaikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council.
She executes her daily work with the help of a talking programme and a Braille-capable computer. “Now I mostly use the normal computer. The programme tells me what is being typed. All praise to Allah, I don’t make mistakes while doing my work.”