ABU DHABI // Since The National published an article last month entitled "Young epileptic man frustrated by lack of job opportunities in UAE", a handful of employers have reached out to offer help.
One of the first to offer 23-year-old Ahmed Al Kaabi an opportunity was the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation.
Sue Gee Cheng, senior talent recruiter, said: “I am obviously surprised to find out that there are people who are prejudiced against people with epilepsy, and how difficult it is for people with this illness to find work in their own country.
“It saddens me. In my eight years in the recruitment industry, I have not encountered any job seekers having their applications rejected solely for having this illness. We don’t even ask about illnesses during their interview or in their application.”
Ms Cheng is assisting Mr Al Kaabi in the application process and is hopeful that he will be able to secure a job soon.
Esmaeel Alhashemi, from the internal audit group at Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, was also one of the first to email The National about helping.
“I was surprised by responses from his previous employers, but at the same time I understand their stance,” he said in his email. He asked that the newspaper put him in touch with Mr Al Kaabi.
“Do assure him there are opportunities for him. Let me be among several who will flood your email with proposals for him.
“Would you please email me his CV/ resume. There are a few options available for him at our bank, which HR can offer him based on his qualifications.”
Mr Al Kaabi has sent a response to ADCB as well as to other private-sector companies who have come forward.
“This is the first time that some who already know of my condition have already offered me a job. Usually I’ll get an offer then [get] rejected because they know of my condition,” Mr Al Kaabi said. “If this is the case that they know that I have epilepsy and are willing to offer me a job, then I will work hard to secure it and prove myself. They won’t regret giving me a chance.”
Mr Al Kaabi is currently continuing his education at the Higher Colleges of Technology.
“I’ll work at day and study at night. I’m tired of sitting at home and I need the money to support my family. My henna sticker business is not working out so I’ll do whatever it takes to get a job and remain at it.”
He is confident that he will break the stigma surrounding epilepsy, which also affects a sibling and several relatives, all of whom have been living in the shadows because of their illness.
“This will prove to them that epilepsy does not get in your way.”
salnowais@thenational.ae
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Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
On Instagram: @WithHopeUAE
Although social media can be harmful to our mental health, paradoxically, one of the antidotes comes with the many social-media accounts devoted to normalising mental-health struggles. With Hope UAE is one of them.
The group, which has about 3,600 followers, was started three years ago by five Emirati women to address the stigma surrounding the subject. Via Instagram, the group recently began featuring personal accounts by Emiratis. The posts are written under the hashtag #mymindmatters, along with a black-and-white photo of the subject holding the group’s signature red balloon.
“Depression is ugly,” says one of the users, Amani. “It paints everything around me and everything in me.”
Saaed, meanwhile, faces the daunting task of caring for four family members with psychological disorders. “I’ve had no support and no resources here to help me,” he says. “It has been, and still is, a one-man battle against the demons of fractured minds.”
In addition to With Hope UAE’s frank social-media presence, the group holds talks and workshops in Dubai. “Change takes time,” Reem Al Ali, vice chairman and a founding member of With Hope UAE, told The National earlier this year. “It won’t happen overnight, and it will take persistent and passionate people to bring about this change.”
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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