Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
Following the graduation of its second cohort, the Emirati Women Chapter (EWC) initiative continues to grow as a platform for empowering Emirati women across sectors.
PureHealth, the largest healthcare group in the Middle East, launched the EWC in 2024 in collaboration with the General Women's Union. Founded by five Emirati women leaders, the initiative focuses on guidance, opportunity and mentorship, reflecting PureHealth's wider commitment to developing national talent.
Speaking to Aletihad, Leya Al Damani, Chief Sustainability Officer at PureHealth, said collaboration with the General Women's Union and the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood has been central to the programme's impact.
"By uniting institutional support, social development expertise and healthcare transformation under one direction, the partnership ensured every part of the programme delivered tangible value," she said.
Al Damani added: "Working alongside the General Women's Union and the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, PureHealth helped shape mentorship tracks, leadership training and professional development pathways so participants left with meaningful opportunities that support their professional and personal progress."
She said the partnership also enabled a focus on priorities such as wellbeing, sustainable leadership and community engagement.
"Together, we have created an ecosystem that empowers women to advance in their fields and contribute to shaping the nation's future," she said.
On PureHealth's broader role, she noted that structured pathways translate empowerment into career growth.
"Through the Emirati Women Chapter and the Emirati Development Centre, PureHealth gives Emirati women structured support that leads directly to career growth," she said, adding that more than 317 Emiratis have been upskilled through the Development Centre.
As the third cohort gets underway, she noted that it builds on a proven foundation, offering expanded mentorship and training shaped by feedback from previous participants.
Aletihad spoke to graduates from the second cohort who shared the initiative’s impact on women's empowerment and its role in translating ideas into meaningful projects.
Abeer Mubarak Salem Mubarak Al Ali from Aldar said the EWC strengthened her belief in the power of small ideas to create lasting community impact.
She said that the programme's inclusive social projects reflected the journey of Emirati women and helped transform personal passions into meaningful initiatives.
"The programme opened my eyes to capabilities I had not fully explored. It strengthened my confidence in public speaking and helped me think more creatively about how to connect my passions with my daily work," she said.
"Having the chance to turn a personal passion into a project that serves the community felt like a privilege and a responsibility."
Another graduate, Nouf Hassan Mohamed Hassan Almaeeni from SEHA, described joining the Emirati Women Chapter as "a turning point".
She said the programme's coaching, workshops and leadership exposure helped her recognise her abilities, build confidence and move beyond fear while remaining grounded in hope.
"One of the greatest discoveries in this journey was realising my ability as a public speaker – something I had never imagined for myself," she said, noting that opportunities to moderate and serve as a master of ceremony strengthened her confidence and expressive skills.
