Nicole Fiorentino

A dyslexic who benefited from education at an alternative school in the US, Nicole was moved on hearing that children with learning issues were not offered alternative education in the UAE. Determined to address the issue, she established and now runs Widad Center, which offers kids the tools and resources main-stream schools can’t, such as hands-on experiential learning involving touch, auditory and visual processing.

Why is alternative education vital to you?

I grew up dyslexic and was blessed to have access to an alternative school in San Francisco. This inspired me to pursue special education as a career and give back to the community. The children that come to us have been asked to leave mainstream schools because they can’t go any further. I want to make sure that these children do not suffer because it is hard out there and they could be stigmatised.

Why is it important for alternative education to be accessible?

We need to be open to the fact that not all children work well in class sizes of 26 students or more in big schools without hands-on learning approaches. There’s a huge need and demand for educators and governments to give parents a choice in the type of educational system that works for their family.

How did you find out about the #MyBetterStartsNow campaign?

I was nominated by Arfa Shahid from ARY News. In fact I didn’t even know about the campaign until she’d entered me into the contest. But #MyBetterStartsNow is a [mindset] I believe in – there’s no better time than now to do something you love, you’re passionate about, and you want to change for the greater good.

How will winning this contest help you? I would use the prize money to get us an alternative school status.