Dreaming Big, Building Belonging

I was born here in the UAE. This land is home. It raised me. But growing up between cultures was not easy. At home, life had one rhythm. Outside, it had another. And I was always somewhere in the middle, learning, adjusting, working harder to fit in.

I remember my school days so clearly. Sitting with my best friends during breaks, talking about what we wanted to become. One wanted to be a leader. Another wanted to serve her country. We spoke like it was already possible. Like the future was waiting for us.

And today, when I look at those same friends, my heart feels full. They are doing it. They are in positions of influence, leading change, shaping the UAE we once only imagined. Back then, we called them dreams. Today, I see them alive in the women we became.

I’ve always been a dreamer too. I told myself one day I’ll reach the stars. Maybe I am still climbing. But I know I’ve touched the treetops. And from there, the stars don’t feel so far away.

There is one truth I carry everywhere: no nation can rise without the progress of its women. Our leaders said this, and those words became a compass for me.

With the support of my closest friends, I built Inspire from nothing. Step by step. With one belief at its core, that when people feel like they belong, they grow, they give, they rise.

My two daughters remind me of this every single day. They are my biggest blessing. Through them, I see the power of women at home. The strength, the grace and the resilience. I know that same power is what shapes the world outside.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned along the way, it’s this: in every moment, happiness is a choice.

And that choice, along with belonging, is what keeps me climbing.