The end of Aaesha Alzaabi's marriage turned her world upside down.
At the time, she had two young children and was worried about raising them.
The newly single parent had two options - sink or swim.
"I chose the second option," says Ms Alzaabi, 33. "I had to overcome great obstacles because my children were young at that time. Dealing with my inner conflicts topped the list."
Shortly after her divorce, she pursued a diploma in family and marriage counselling.
"I started reading more about the psychology of men and women. I learnt a lot about how men think. Of course, I can't reform my relationship, as a matter of fact, it was a good decision we made. We were not suited to each other."
Armed with the art of deep listening and compassion, she began offering voluntary sessions to friends and teachers about family counselling. In 2012, a friend of Ms Alzaabi's attended a Springboard Women's Development Programme in Qatar. The training consultancy advertises itself as the UK's leading personal and work-development company that aims to empower women to "participate more fully in the workplace and as active citizens in their countries".
Springboard's clients include the British ministry of defence, the National Trust, Royal Mail and dozens of the country's universities.
"When I first heard of it, I got inquisitive and started researching further," Ms Alzaabi says.
She decided to take the Springboard programme last year and, after being accredited by the British Council, became the first Emirati trained to deliver the programme herself.
Traditionally, counselling and therapy are not part of the Emirati culture. People are expected to find support in their own communities, rather than turn to a stranger.
"I came across women who had countless problems and couldn't figure out how to go out of the box," she says. "Some women convince themselves their issues are solved. Shortly after, they are stuck with the same tension.
"When you copy others, you don't stay that way for a long time. What I do is develop people based on their own set of values."
The programme, Ms Alzaabi says, develops women in a practical way, both professionally and personally.
"I came back and founded Key2success consultancy where I pass on what I learnt in Springboard," she says.
She now trains women, many of them local, to develop their values and principles.
Be yourself, find a passion that makes you happy and listen deeply to your inner voice are the daily teachings she imparts to her students.
Her consultancy improves women's communication and presentation skills to build confidence in both their workplace and their family. She also offers lessons in consulting, coaching, deep listening, problem solving, group discussion and networking.
"If you want to achieve your passion, you ought to struggle. I went through hardship and learnt. The moment you struggle to reach your passion, it means you are one step closer to reaching it. If one way doesn't work, you find another route until you hit your target."
It is particularly important in the Emirati culture that women find a good balance between their family, career and personal passions. The Government is encouraging more women to enter the workforce, but the reality for many women is that they cannot consider having a career and family because very few jobs allow for part-time or flexible hours.
This can leave women struggling with decisions about their career.
The British Council launched the Springboard Programme in the Arab world because there were many more opportunities opening up for women, says Mariam Daher, the regional manager.
"The programme deals with the professional and the personal aspects of women's lives. It is tried and tested and has more than 180,000 users globally, of which 10,000 are in the Arab world," she says. "It has been culturalised to suit the needs of Arab women."
The private nature of Emirati culture means that certain issues such as marital problems are often not spoken about and therefore not properly dealt with. Springboard tailored to the Middle East deals with these kinds of issues.
A recent evaluation of Springboard in the Arab world suggests that it gave more than 65 per cent of participants the skills and abilities to achieve their personal and professional goals. The evaluation also showed that the programme supported them in getting a job or promotion.
As for many school leavers, the thought of picking a university subject that would define the rest of her career was a scary one for Abeer Al Katheeri, 17, a first-year student at Zayed University. One student in five makes the wrong decision.
One of the main problems is parental influence over subject choice, often gearing students towards engineering, architecture, medicine and business.
Abeer had always been interested in studying the human mind and behaviour, but her family was not supportive,
"I had zero idea about what major to choose. Participating in Springboard encouraged me to pursue psychology."
Not all decisions that women need to make in their lives are life changing. Dina Abdulrahman, an Emirati in her early thirties, was confused about whether to stay in her job as a senior purchasing officer, or accept an offer of changing department. "I got many offers to switch departments, I couldn't spot what was stopping me."
Ms Abdulrahman first heard about Key2success through Twitter. "I had problems with reaching my goals and how to plan strategically," she says. "I registered in the programme it was a starting point of a new goal.
"The trainer doesn't bring a solution from herself, all she does is help you find the lost key in your life. The programme doesn't ask you to start from the beginning, it tells you to start from where you're standing."
Key2success consultancy welcomes women from all levels and all walks of life.
"It is not about how many hours you spend to improve your professional or personal life, it is about the productivity and how well time is spent," Ms Alzaabi says.
Sometimes people are misunderstood by others because of miscommunication and tone of voice. These tools are vital to deliver a message effectively.
The message Ms Alzaabi wants to convey through her consultancy and coaching is that a woman should not neglect her own happiness to please others. "Whatever I did, I did it for husband. When I didn't get a response, I felt depressed," she recalls. "Do it for yourself. Love yourself. This is how I started loving and respecting myself - not arrogantly, of course.
"I taught my children to stand up and say their parents are divorced because each chose their happiness. It is not a shame.
"I constantly remind my children to give value to themselves, and never let others underestimate them."
aalhameli@thenational.ae
. Visit www.key2success.ae for more information
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
The Light of the Moon
Director: Jessica M Thompson
Starring: Stephanie Beatriz, Michael Stahl-David
Three stars
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Qosty Byogaani
Starring: Hani Razmzi, Maya Nasir and Hassan Hosny
Four stars
Uefa Champions League last 16 draw
Juventus v Tottenham Hotspur
Basel v Manchester City
Sevilla v Manchester United
Porto v Liverpool
Real Madrid v Paris Saint-Germain
Shakhtar Donetsk v Roma
Chelsea v Barcelona
Bayern Munich v Besiktas
The Bio
Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village
What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft
Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans
Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface
Brief scores:
Liverpool 3
Mane 24', Shaqiri 73', 80'
Manchester United 1
Lingard 33'
Man of the Match: Fabinho (Liverpool)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier, in Bangkok
UAE fixtures Mon Nov 20, v China; Tue Nov 21, v Thailand; Thu Nov 23, v Nepal; Fri Nov 24, v Hong Kong; Sun Nov 26, v Malaysia; Mon Nov 27, Final
(The winners will progress to the Global Qualifier)
Gender pay parity on track in the UAE
The UAE has a good record on gender pay parity, according to Mercer's Total Remuneration Study.
"In some of the lower levels of jobs women tend to be paid more than men, primarily because men are employed in blue collar jobs and women tend to be employed in white collar jobs which pay better," said Ted Raffoul, career products leader, Mena at Mercer. "I am yet to see a company in the UAE – particularly when you are looking at a blue chip multinationals or some of the bigger local companies – that actively discriminates when it comes to gender on pay."
Mr Raffoul said most gender issues are actually due to the cultural class, as the population is dominated by Asian and Arab cultures where men are generally expected to work and earn whereas women are meant to start a family.
"For that reason, we see a different gender gap. There are less women in senior roles because women tend to focus less on this but that’s not due to any companies having a policy penalising women for any reasons – it’s a cultural thing," he said.
As a result, Mr Raffoul said many companies in the UAE are coming up with benefit package programmes to help working mothers and the career development of women in general.
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The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
The specs: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio
Price, base: Dh198,300
Engine: 2.0L in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 280hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,250rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7L / 100km
More on Quran memorisation:
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Best Academy: Ajax and Benfica
Best Agent: Jorge Mendes
Best Club : Liverpool
Best Coach: Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Best Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker
Best Men’s Player: Cristiano Ronaldo
Best Partnership of the Year Award by SportBusiness: Manchester City and SAP
Best Referee: Stephanie Frappart
Best Revelation Player: Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid and Portugal)
Best Sporting Director: Andrea Berta (Atletico Madrid)
Best Women's Player: Lucy Bronze
Best Young Arab Player: Achraf Hakimi
Kooora – Best Arab Club: Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Kooora – Best Arab Player: Abderrazak Hamdallah (Al-Nassr FC, Saudi Arabia)
Player Career Award: Miralem Pjanic and Ryan Giggs
Votes
Total votes: 1.8 million
Ashraf Ghani: 923,592 votes
Abdullah Abdullah: 720,841 votes
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
Match on BeIN Sports
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
More on animal trafficking
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Power: 240hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 390Nm at 3,000rpm
Transmission: eight-speed auto
Price: from Dh122,745
On sale: now
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
