How Ayman Al Yaman channels online attention into education, autism awareness, economic relief

Ayman Al Yaman measures the value of an audience through what it can do for people who may never appear on its screens. The 23-year-old Bachelor of Creative Industries graduate from Canadian University Dubai has used his digital reach to help fund refugee education, offer an intimate view of life with autism, draw attention to displaced communities in Lebanon and give struggling businesses access to new customers.

“I’ve always believed that having a platform comes with a responsibility,” he says. “When people are listening to you and following what you do, I think it’s important to use that attention for something beyond entertainment or business.”

That principle shaped the Brand Me Summit, his initiative centred on entrepreneurship, branding and personal development. Al Yaman built a humanitarian commitment into its financial model, allocating 10 per cent of the proceeds to UNHCR programmes supporting refugees, including access to higher education. The contribution has supported the higher education of more than 50 refugees.

The organisation manages the allocation of funds and protects information about individual beneficiaries, which means Al Yaman does not have access to their personal details. His priority was to ensure that part of the summit’s income reached an established organisation capable of turning it into educational opportunity.

The initiative closest to his own life unfolded over 10 days, when Al Yaman invited his audience into his family’s experience of autism. His brother is autistic, and the project grew from a desire to reveal the daily realities that broad awareness campaigns can sometimes leave unexplored.

“We wanted to give people a genuine look into what it can be like to live with and support someone with autism,” he says. During the initiative, his family shared elements of their routine and discussed the experiences and challenges faced by families. They also worked with people who had experience within the autism community.

The responses from autistic people and their families carried particular weight. Many told Al Yaman that the project had made them feel represented and understood. “It was about building empathy and helping people understand that autism is not something to be viewed from a distance,” he says.

Al Yaman also turned his attention to refugees and displaced communities affected by the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon. He used his platform to explain the situation, keep it visible and encourage people to offer meaningful support. Financial assistance was channelled through established organisations and programmes equipped to reach communities on the ground.

“For me, it’s important to work through organisations that have the infrastructure and expertise to reach the people who need support,” he says. His role lay in mobilising attention and directing concern towards credible humanitarian efforts.

The same thinking informed his participation in the Nas Lenas campaign during a period of economic and geopolitical uncertainty across the GCC. Al Yaman supported three small businesses by providing advertising and social media exposure at no promotional cost, helping them reach audiences they might otherwise have struggled to access.

“If I already have an audience and a platform, why not use that reach to help businesses that need visibility?” he asks. A single introduction to a new customer base, he believes, can lead to sales and opportunities that extend beyond the original campaign.

The autism project remains the most personally significant of his initiatives because it allowed him to share a part of his life rarely seen by his audience. Its larger purpose continues after the 10 days. Al Yaman keeps the conversation active and supports organisations with the knowledge to create sustained results.

The causes may differ, yet his method remains consistent: identify where attention can be useful, place it behind experienced organisations or people who need visibility, and encourage others to act. “I want my platform to be something that creates opportunities,” he says, “and encourages people to take action.”