The UAE's shortest woman has big hopes for the future

The current world record for being the world's shortest living woman is held by 18-year-old Jyoti Amge of Nagpur, India, who measures just 62.7cm (24.7 inches).

Aisha has applied to the Guinness World Records to be listed as the world's shortest policewoman. The world's shortest living man is Nepal's Chandra Bahadur Dangi measuring 54.6cm (21.5 inches). www.guinnessworldrecords.com

Every morning, Aisha Ahmad Mohammad Al Hamoudi rises at 6am, offers prayers and gets ready for the office. By 7am she is on her way to work - the Al Bidiya Police Station in Fujairah - in the family car driven by her father Ahmad Al Hamoudi, a retired policeman.

Nothing extraordinary about this humdrum routine, except that the young woman in question stands just 88 centimetres tall, the average size of a three-year-old girl, and tips the scales at just 20kg.

"I accepted what God gave me with a smile because I think the Almighty has a plan for everyone. If he made me this height, he had plans to look after me," says Aisha, 31.

The eldest of seven siblings, Aisha realised she would never grow beyond this height as a child after a doctor diagnosed growth hormone deficiency. She is the only one among her brothers and sisters with this condition, caused by a lack of growth hormone produced by her pituitary gland.

She joined the Vocational Education and Training Institute for Special Needs People in Al Ain in 2009 because it offered work placement.

As the institute was far away from her home - Al Sharm village in Khor Fakkan - Aisha had to live on campus. "For a year, I had to stay at the institute away from my family. I could come home only on weekends,'' she recalls.

She was the only one with her condition at the vocational institute, but she says that she was never discriminated against.

"I had plenty of friends at the centre and all of them used to help me but never made me feel different.''

After graduating in 2010, she landed her job at the local police station compiling police reports. "After my course in maintaining records and documents, I was offered jobs in three government organisations - Etisalat, the municipality and the police. I opted for the police,'' she says, a hint of pride in her eyes.

"I always wanted to join the police force as my father was a police officer and my two younger brothers are in the police."

The furniture she uses in the office as well as at home has been adapted to suit her size: the tables and chairs are lower than usual and the door handles are placed so she can easily reach them. Her bed is small and almost at ground level, so she can climb into it.

Because Aisha enjoys cooking, she uses a high chair to stand and make her favourite dishes for the family. "Whenever I have some time off, I like to cook for everyone,'' she says. "I've always wanted to be independent and I realised that if one is determined you can achieve all that you want.''

Aisha says she's proud of everything she's done so far, including her job. That's why she has applied to Guinness World Records to be judged as the world's shortest policewoman. "I received a call from their London office last week and I think my chances are bright," she says. "If they do select me, I would be the first Emirati policewoman to hold a Guinness World Record."

Calling the shots

Her family has always had faith in her and she's most definitely the big sister, even though her siblings tower over her. Aisha's two younger brothers Mohammad, 24, and Majid, 22, take orders from her at home, she says.

"Both Majid and Mohammad are police constables at the same police station and respect me a great deal. But they have always been very obedient from a young age.

"Being the eldest, even when I was at school, my mother entrusted me with the business of managing the family's finances. I handled the budget and my brothers would run errands for me. My parents allowed me to handle the finances because they felt it would make me more confident and responsible.

"I get a lot of respect from my sister and also from the wives of my three brothers," says Aisha.

Her eyes light up when she talks about the love and respect she gets from her four nieces and two nephews.

"While my brother Majid has two daughters and a son who live here in the same house, my sister, who is married, visits us with her two daughters and son. They are delighted to see me and I dote on them," she says.

While at home, she enjoys showering her love on her eight-year-old sister, Shouk, who is taller by a few inches. The little one endearingly calls her ‘Mama Aisha'. It is Aisha who gives her sister a bath, plaits her hair, and sends her to school. She is also the one who ensures that Shouk has her meals on time and tucks her into bed at night.

"I am the closest to Shouk and love to tell her stories and put her to bed by 8pm," says Aisha.

Aisha's always been relentlessly upbeat despite her tiny stature. "I never once wondered how I would lead my life; what I would possibly do. Although in many cases women, especially those with special needs, do not feel motivated to study, I knew I wanted to do as much as I could. I wouldn't let anything hold me back."

She has dreams of doing many things for her community.

"I would love to help the disadvantaged in society. I'd like to work for the poor and needy and guide other physically challenged people. Those who are blind, deaf or mute can work with their hands; those who have limbs missing can get into jobs that require them to use their sight and speech. Everyone can work and I think all of us must be responsible community members doing our bit for society," she says.

Strength through work Aisha has very clear ideas on the role of special-needs people and women in society. "I think it is important that the physically challenged should find work that suits their lifestyle. They should work towards fulfilling all their dreams and goals," she says.

"I also think that women should learn to be independent, stand on their own two feet and have a career. They need to feel economically empowered. I take pride in my work. Although my father and brothers take good care of me, I think earning a livelihood has made me even stronger as a person."

When she is not working Aisha spends her spare time listening to her favourite Emirati singer, Hussain Al Jassimi. "I love his songs, especially Wallah Mayiswa and Bassbour Al Fourgakom. They have a very happy and foot-tapping beat, especially Bassbour, which is played at the Dubai Fountain by the Burj Khalifa."

Like any woman of her age, Aisha nurses the dream of meeting a handsome suitor who would come to her home to ask for her hand. "I dream of getting married and am keen to have my own family," she says.

Although she values her independence greatly, she hopes that ultimately she will also settle down. "I haven't met the right person. If I do, I will surely get married.''

‘Never lose courage'

Aisha believes you can achieve anything if you are determined enough, and says her size has never got in the way of her doing work.

"I do my chores, clean, cook and babysit at home just like any other family member. When I get into the kitchen I ask my family to help me prepare food. I prop myself on a stool to fry fish or bake a cake for everyone."

With the right outlook, anyone can get the best out of life, says Aisha. "I love just about everything and push myself to do all that I can."

So far she has never had any major health issues and hopes to live a full life being active and eating in moderation.

She accompanies her family when they go out shopping - something she enjoys doing.

One challenge can be buying clothes. But Aisha has overcome that too - she usually buys the material she likes from department stores and designs her own jalabiyas, which are then stitched by the neighbourhood tailor.

For the women of her community she has this to say: "I want to tell every woman in my society, never to lose courage. You may be normal or may have a disability, but do not let anything come in the way of achieving your dreams. Find out what job you enjoy and can do well and then go for it. I think it is very important for every educated woman to have self-respect and take pride in earning her livelihood."

She hopes that if Guinness World Records deems her the world's shortest policewoman, she will be able to leverage the recognition to initiate fund-raising for women in need and for the physically challenged.

"I am short, but I have not lost my passion to excel. There are many girls with disabilities. Find out what you are best at and work on it. For instance if you are blind or deaf, you can use your hands to make a dignified living. It is important for your pride in yourself.''