Meet Saudi Arabia’s first woman car mechanic Merihan Yehia

Cairo: The first Saudi woman car mechanic has disclosed that she was drawn to the vocation after seeing her father repair auto malfunctions.

In an interview with Saudi television Al Saudiah inside her workshop, Merihan Yehia added she had taken a liking for repairing, loosening and reassembling things since her childhood. “When a person loves something, this happens involuntarily,” she said.

Merihan walked into the field that was once a male preserve in the kingdom.

“In the beginning, it was impossible for a woman to work in the field of mechanics. Women were not allowed to drive cars,” she recalled.

In 2018, Saudi Arabia allowed women to drive for the first time in its history as part of dramatic social and economic reforms in the kingdom.

“After women were allowed to drive, many fields started opening up to women including mechanics,” Merihan said. “Gradually, people began to know about my car repairs. I have made a reputation for myself,” the young woman added.

“There is nothing impossible. Women can do any job,” Merihan said. On offering help to women or families whose cars break down on roads, she said, they would be appreciative and proud of her.

“People around you encourage you. They think you do something big.”

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has made major strides in women’s empowerment in different walks of life.