No matter who you are, it takes guts to chase after a dream! Stand up against injustice! Or stick to your conviction. Especially in the face of adversity or different beliefs. Women, especially, deserve to be celebrated for their tenacity as they’ve advocated for themselves or become their own champions during difficult times. Rightly exemplifying the same, here’s the raw and real story of a woman who has always dressed in confidence, determination and self-belief!
Huda Al Matroushi, 36, an Emirati, was overwhelmed with emotion after she received the ultimate phone call of her life. It was from none other than His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Sheikh Mohamed congratulated her for making her presence felt in a job and industry that is otherwise dominated by men.
Al Matroushi Is The First Emirati Woman Mechanic Who Owns Her Own Garage
Al Matroushi is a car mechanic who owns her own garage, Imex Car Service, in Sharjah’s Industrial Area 1. She also has a day-time job with the Sharjah government where she heads a department. Her passion for and perseverance with her twin responsibilities should send out a strong message to women all over the world that anything is possible! Anything is achievable! No limits, no boundaries.
In a video that had gone viral on social media, Al Matroushi is seen speaking to the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince on the phone. Who is seen congratulating her for achieving a feat that very few women have dared to even attempt. She was in tears when His Highness asked her if she would accept his car for service in her garage. She simply could not help being emotional. It was indeed a special and proud moment in her life. Al Matroushi has broken gender stereotypes to follow her passion.
A Government Employee In Love With Cars
Al Matroushi works for a Sharjah government department during the day. While in the evening, she is seen holding bolsters and pliers. Tirelessly repairing cars parked in her garage. So how did this come about?
When she was young, she used to be curious about toy cars. She wanted to understand the mechanics behind them. Today, Al Matroushi can identify car models without even looking at their chassis. The garage she and her father built is a result of Al Matroushi’s dream. With accessories such as wrenches, ratchets, screwdrivers hanging from the wall, this Emirati woman is defying all odds to follow her passion. In fact, for 16 years, Al Matroushi had been hopping from one garage to another just to familiarise herself with the mechanics of different types of cars. She even cut her teeth fixing engines, replacing tyres, doing car maintenance work, undertaking diagnostic testing for vehicles, inspecting vehicles and getting friendly with the electronic systems pertaining to steering, brakes and more.
She additionally narrated that one day, in July 2020, she was being driven by my chauffeur. It was peak summer. The AC was not working in her car and she asked her driver if he had refilled the gas for the AC. Her driver said he did and added that the problem was probably with the compressor. So they got it replaced. A month later, the air-conditioner stopped working again. Then she asked herself that why did the compressor fail in just one month. She knew for sure the compressor was not original and that was why it had failed. It was then that she decided to set up her own garage, so she could source her products from the right companies.
Al Matroushi Has Set An Example As A Woman
Elaborating on her garage Al Matroushi shared that when she had asked her father to help her build the second floor of her garage, he asked her if she was sure of what she was doing. He said it was a tough job for a woman to handle. she told him it wasn’t tough for her. Her staff also sometimes tells her not to dirty her hands, replace a tyre or check the level of oil and water in the engine. But she keeps telling them that there is no difference between a man and a woman today. Both are equally capable of doing any job.
Al Matroushi Believes In Sticking To Her Roots And Her Attire
Al Matroushi insists on wearing an ‘abaya’ while working in the garage. She says she really does not find it a barrier. It is practical for her to wear an ‘abaya’ as the material is no different from an overall that mechanics usually wear. She is proud of her roots and her ‘abaya’ stays with her even when she is working in the garage.
The Iron Woman Is Sure Of Her Bright Future
Al Matroushi added that she is not an engineer. But she will be one day. The dream is to expand her garage into a proper car centre that does repair work as well as serves as a hub for car accessories. She does not yet know whether she will ever get that far but she’s sure her future looks way bright.
