Emirati woman, 25, proof that cycle of reliance on welfare can be broken

Until two years ago she was one of the 15,000 Emiratis deemed capable of work yet dependent on benefits. Today she works as an administrator and commands a salary of Dh9,000 a month.

DUBAI // Suhaila Saeed Abdullah, 25, is proof you can break the cycle of being reliant on welfare.
Until two years ago she was one of the 15,000 Emiratis deemed capable of work yet dependent on benefits.
Today she works as an administrator at the Ministry of Social Affairs and commands a salary of Dh9,000 a month - substantially more than the Dh4,400 she was receiving in benefits.
Her father has been unemployed for as long as she can remember and the family was dependent on the state handouts.
Ms Abdullah is the oldest of six children and felt responsible for supporting her family, so when she was contacted by the 'Work is Life' project in May 2011 she did not hesitate to accept the offer of job.
"When a day came when there were was no longer food at home and my younger siblings were sent to school without a penny, I realised that I had to find a job. The look of my mother in tears pushed me to it," she said.
Ms Abdullah has a diploma in Business IT and is still studying part time towards a Bachelors degree in software engineering.
"Working in administration at the ministry does not match up to my qualification and it is a different domain from my study but I still accepted the job because I believe that a journey of 1,000 miles begins with single step," she said.
Apart from meeting her financial needs Ms Abdullah sees work and productivity as valuable in itself.
"My life has changed when I started working. A world of opportunities opens for you, you get to know new people and you learn new skills," she said. "Since I started earning money I felt empowered and I also managed to make a difference in my family's life. I can buy anything I want but also I can give my younger siblings things they need."
Ms Abdullah admitted not everyone felt the same way.
"My friends share my values but there are some who would not work unless they are on a high salary and in managerial positions. There are also some who believe that the government has an obligations towards them and that there is no need for them to work."
She admitted that her decision to enter the workplace was made easier by being offered a relatively prestigious desk job, but says she would have taken on any other job that was offered.
"I know that there are some who have diplomas and want to start on a managerial level, but I am different. Once again I say the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step."
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