Abu Dhabi: Three innovative ideas, including creating a waterproof hearing aid, have been recognised for solving challenges via social enterprises, the Emirates Foundation for Youth Development announced at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).
The three top winners from the GCC were honoured as part of the Emirates Award for Arabian Gulf Youth, which was held under the patronage of Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chairman of the Emirates Foundation.
Shaikh Sultan Bin Tahnoun Al Nahyan, Managing Director and Board Member of the Emirates Foundation, delivered Shaikh Abdullah’s speech on Tuesday on his behalf and highlighted his appreciation of the Emirati youth’s achievement to build a better and brighter future for the UAE.
‘Factory of Dreams’ was the first and only Emirati winning project and its team was awarded Dh100,000 for showing immense creative talent.
“Factory of Dreams is a portal aimed at connecting ambitious, young entrepreneurs with investors, who have the resources to help bring their innovative ideas to reality,” Mesha’al Al Marzouqi, a 23-year-old Emirati graduate from the Higher Colleges of Technology in Dubai, told Gulf News.
“By establishing an online network, the portal will make it possible for youth with limited income to set up and run projects and businesses in education, agriculture, hunting, water and sewerage and women’s empowerment,” he added.
Saeed Al Nazari, a 23-year-old Emirati, who is currently working for the Dubai Government’s executive office and as a human resources development counsellor for a number of organisations, was extremely happy and honoured to receive the creativity ambassador title.
Hidden potential
“I believe that there is a great potential hidden within each individual. All of us have within us the seeds of greatness and every person can be an entrepreneur. Such competitions are really an amazing opportunity to invest in young people. This honouring ceremony and the award itself is the first step to achieve our dream and make it true,” Saeed told Gulf News.
The two-day event, which started on Monday and ended on Tuesday, has also seen the honouring of other young ambitious entrepreneurs and innovative ideas from GCC countries.
Maha Al Otaibi, an 18-year-old Saudi secondary school pupil and the youngest contender in the award, was awarded Dh70,000 for creating a waterproof hearing aid.
“My brother suffers from hearing loss and his experience motivated me to create a device, which will open the way for him and all special needs people with hearing difficulties, to maintain exercise routines, even swimming. My project uses nanotechnology to generate waterproof hearing aids,” Maha, who has been recognised and awarded at several competitions, told Gulf News.
When asked about the estimated budget of her project, she said: “The waterproof hearing aid can cost up to 100,000 riyal (around Dh97,933). I have relied on a lot of research done at Kind Saud University about hearing impairments and treatment,” Maha, who aims to establish a foundation that cares about special needs, especially hearing impairments, said.
Third place went to Zakeyah Al Sada, a 22-year-old entrepreneur from Bahrain. She was awarded Dh50,000 for her innovative lunch box project.
Zakeyah has a great passion for self-development and for positively impacting the people around her. Her role models are her sisters.
“I have an ambition to change bad eating habits and teach children healthy eating to stay fit. I was inspired by many personal figures, who have successfully achieved independent health with an organised nutrition plans. Therefore, my project “Lunch box” will offer students healthy lunches as an alternative to highly processed meals often found in school cafeterias,” Zakeyah, who graduated from the American University of Sharjah with a major in economy, told Gulf News.
“The project’s initial target is Bahrain; however, its business model can be easily transferred into similar markets and expanded to serve more than one meal a day. It aims to launch a health club devoted only to students,” she added.
Zakeyah also pointed put that she will constantly measure the impact of the project by assessing the change in students’ health and food choices and through feedback from parents.
The ceremony was also attended by Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Development and International Cooperation and President of Zayed University.
“The award will continue for many coming years and we hope to see more creative ideas that can create a positive and sustainable social impact in the lives of young Emiratis,” Maitha Al Habshi, chief programme officer at the foundation, told Gulf News.
