Sharjah: An Emirati woman has defied the odds of being visually challenged and has pursued a fruitful career where she voices the concerns of other physically challenged individuals.
Manar Al Hammadi, an Emarati hailing from Sharjah, was born blind and was able to overcome a number of obstacles to grow into the confident and outspoken woman that she is today.
Manar was the first visually disabled person to complete a Bachelor's Degree from the University of Sharjah, having obtained a degree in sociology in 2004, and has worked as a human resources coordinator at the Department of Naturalisation and Residency in Dubai (DNRD) for six years.
"When I started studying, I was very scared because the experience was all new to me, but now I have learnt not to be afraid of anything. The experience I learnt from university taught me to emotionally grow and understand those around me better," Manar said, adding that she would not have been able to achieve her goals had it not been for her family's support.
Sister's assistance
Even though Manar's text books were not in Braille, she managed to learn all the material after her sister offered to read all text books and record it for her.
"But during class, it was difficult to record the lecture, so I learnt how to take notes with a device in Braille. When I graduated, I wanted to work as a social worker but it was impossible to find a job, and there is definitely a lack of awareness among society and organisations about the disabled and as to what we can achieve," Manar, who is also a member of the Emirates Association for the Blind and the Empowering Disabled Women's Association in Sharjah, said.
When Manar first joined the DNRD, there were no facilities for the visually challenged. During her stint there, she has been able to make a contribution not only to the headquarter's infrastructure but also to the way others treat their disabled colleagues and clients.
"When I first joined the DNRD, it was very difficult to get around the building but after having a discussion with a colleague, who is also visually challenged, we spoke to the management and they added Braille on to the elevator's buttons.
"I was also given a computer with special software that caters to the blind, and since then, I have grown stronger in my job and am now keen on training others in the field of visual disabilities."
Firms' reluctance
Manar recalled that while she was looking for a job as a fresh graduate, many private companies were reluctant to employ her as they were sceptical about the additional costs involved.
The computer software that caters to the visually challenged costs Dh7,000 while a note-taker in Braille ranges between Dh18,000 and Dh22,000.
As part of her mission to educate society on the visually disabled, Manar has set up a majlis at the DNRD since 2010. As a team leader, Manar's responsibility is to formulate new ideas on how government departments can offer more facilities to the physically challenged.
