How Emirati women are turning opportunity into impact

Some dreams begin with a childhood fascination with the stars. Others begin with a desire to climb a mountain, solve a problem or simply see what happens when you say yes to an opportunity.

For these five Emirati women, there was no single formula for success. Their paths have taken them from Mars research to the summit of Mount Everest, from technology and project management to IT governance, entrepreneurship, finance and child nutrition. What connects them is something much simpler: they grew up in a country that encouraged them to think bigger, and then gave them the space to do it.

From an astronomy class to Mars

For Dr. Noora Alsaeed, 30, a planetary scientist and the science lead of the Emirates Mars Mission, the journey started with something that sounds almost ordinary: curiosity.

“I was always a curious kid and I knew I wanted to be a scientist when I grew up,” she says. It was an Astronomy 101 course during her first year of university that sealed the deal. “I got hooked ever since!”

Her path eventually took her abroad for a PhD, where she faced one of her biggest challenges: completing her studies during the Covid-19 pandemic. The experience, she says, made her more resilient.

But it was back home in the UAE where she found an environment that allowed her curiosity to turn into a career.

“I feel lucky that the community here is so supportive of women in science,” she explains.

The UAE’s national space programme also played a direct role in giving her the opportunity to pursue that childhood curiosity. “If it weren’t for our national space program I wouldn’t have been able to pursue my curiosities in space!”

For Dr. Noora, growing up in the UAE also came with a certain mindset, one where aiming high did not feel particularly unusual.

“My ambitions are bold and far reaching because I grew up in an environment where it feels like nothing is impossible,” she states.

And perhaps that is exactly the point. Sometimes empowerment is not about being told you can do something. It is about growing up rarely being told that you can’t.

One step at a time — all the way to Everest

For Nayla Nasir Al Bloushi, the idea of pushing boundaries took a more literal form.

An adventurer, mountaineer, diver and explorer, Nayla became the first Emirati woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest. But reaching the top was never really about the top.

“I’ve always been someone who believes in challenging myself and trying things that are outside my comfort zone,” she says.

Everest tested that belief. Physically and mentally demanding, the climb taught her to stop looking at the mountain as one enormous challenge and instead focus on the next step.

“When something feels impossible, I break it down, keep moving, and trust the process,” she highlights.

Standing at the summit with the UAE flag was a moment she says she will never forget. More than a personal achievement, it made her think about what her journey could mean to other Emirati women.

“Being an Emirati woman is not a limitation, it is a strength,” she says.

That confidence, she believes, is partly rooted in where she grew up. “The UAE taught me to dream big.”

In a country where she saw people constantly building, achieving and pushing boundaries, an ambition that might have sounded impossible elsewhere did not feel quite so impossible.

Now, after Everest, she is already looking ahead.

“I see more mountains, more adventures and more opportunities to challenge myself,” she says.

Apparently, one mountain was never going to be enough.

She Refuses to Pick Just One

For Qadreya Al Awadhi, juggling careers is less of a challenge and more of a way of life.

Based in Dubai, the entrepreneur, finance professional and Founder and CEO of Bumblebee balances her food business with her career as a Credit Manager at a bank. She is also a certified paediatric nutrition consultant, licensed finfluencer and Youth Ambassador of Agriculture.

Her journey began with a desire to make a difference in children’s nutrition, which led her to create Bumblebee and its “Farm To Freezer” concept. The company has since experimented with everything from nutritious meals to what she describes as the world’s first bone broth cookies for children.

Running a business while working in banking and creating financial content has not always been easy. When Bumblebee faced challenges with frozen deliveries, Qadreya took matters into her own hands, helping move the company towards its own cold-chain system.

The experience taught her resilience, but growing up in the UAE taught her something equally important: she did not have to choose just one path.

“The UAE teaches you that you don't have to fit into a single box, you can be a corporate finance professional, a culinary entrepreneur, and an agricultural advocate all at once,” she says.

Today, her ambitions stretch across nutrition, financial literacy and agriculture, all with one goal in mind: creating a healthier and more sustainable future for the next generation.

“I am incredibly proud of my multifaceted journey,” she says. “With hard work and a supportive environment, we can successfully navigate and excel in anything we set our minds to.”

Finding leadership beyond the job title

For Mira Aljasmi, 29, success has been less about one dramatic moment and more about continuing to say yes to learning.

With bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Information Technology, she has built a career in project management and technology. She also serves as President of the ENOC Youth Council, working on initiatives that create opportunities for young people.

But when asked what shaped her, she does not immediately point to a degree, promotion or title. She points to home.

Her grandmother, she says, taught her about resilience, wisdom and strength, qualities that she believes are often found in women whose names may never appear on a business card.

“When I think about strong women, I do not only think about those with prominent titles or public recognition,” she says. “I think about the women in our homes who raise families, support others, offer wisdom and demonstrate remarkable strength every day without seeking acknowledgement.”

Her other source of inspiration was all around her.

Growing up in the UAE, Mira saw Emirati women working as ministers, doctors, engineers, business leaders and decision-makers. Leadership, she says, “never felt unattainable.”

That visibility mattered.

“The UAE has not only encouraged women to lead; it has created an environment where leadership can be experienced, practised and strengthened,” she says.

And for her, ambition is not simply about climbing the career ladder. It is about what happens when you get there.

“I am proud to do work that I genuinely enjoy, proud to support and empower young people,” she states.

The balancing act

Fatima Yousif Alblooshi, 30, knows that leadership does not always look like a big speech or a corner office.

As an IT Quality Control Senior Analyst at ENOC and Secretary of the ENOC Youth Council, her days involve everything from audits and compliance to supporting youth initiatives, meaning there is plenty to keep track of.

One of her biggest challenges has simply been balancing it all.

Her solution? Prioritising, keeping action trackers, communicating clearly and, importantly, relying on her team.

The experience taught her something she now carries into her work: leadership is less about having all the answers and more about knowing how to bring people together.

“Leadership is not about a title; it is about listening, being accountable, bringing people together and turning ideas into meaningful outcomes,” she says.

Her career in technology has also been shaped by a desire to keep learning. She was drawn to IT because of how quickly technology changes the way organisations, and people, live and work.

That ability to adapt is something she connects to her upbringing in the UAE.

“The UAE’s rapid development also taught me to remain adaptable, continue learning and never be afraid of change,” she says.

And while she is proud of the responsibilities she has earned, she sees success as something bigger than her own career.

“My country taught me that ambition is strongest when it is connected to purpose.”

Different paths, familiar feeling

Their careers could hardly be more different.

Yet when they speak about the UAE, a similar idea keeps coming up: possibility.

Perhaps that is the common thread running through all five women: they were never given just one definition of what success could look like.

For Dr. Noora Alsaeed, it meant reaching for the stars. For Nayla Al Bloushi, it meant reaching the summit. For Mira Aljasmi and Fatima Alblooshi, it meant finding their place in technology and leadership. And for Qadreya Al Awadhi, it means refusing to choose between her passions.

Different dreams, different careers, different starting points, but the same belief that there is always room to go a little further.

The UAE gave them the space to try.

They decided to see just how far they could take it.

Their stories are also a reminder that empowerment does not have to look the same for everyone. Sometimes it is a government programme or a national project. Sometimes it is an education. Sometimes it is a supportive workplace. And sometimes, it is simply having a parent, grandmother, mentor or community member who says: go for it.

For these women, Emirati Women’s Day is therefore not just about looking back at what has been achieved.

It is about looking around and noticing how many different directions Emirati women are moving in, and wondering where they might go next.

As Nayla Al Bloushi puts it, the goal is not simply to reach the summit.

It is to make the next woman believe she can take the first step.