Photography, poetry and diplomacy: how one Emirati teen is chasing her dreams

Despite being just 19, Amnah Al Jumairi has already set up her own photography company and is studying to be a diplomat.

Amnah Al Jumairi, who runs a photography business, says women face many obstacles but must rise to the challenges. Jaime Puebla / The National

DUBAI // Amnah Al Jumairi is not waiting until she graduates from university to start chasing her dreams.

At the age of 19 she has already set up her own photography company, she writes poetry and she is studying to be a diplomat.

“I often heard people talking about Emirati youth. How we are a spoiled generation, incapable of giving, creating and working,” says Amnah, who is in the second year of an international studies degree course at Zayed University.

“That made me feel sad because it is a distorted image that makes people think Emirati youth are taking more than giving, and are dependent on the Government for residence, work and even marriage funds.”

So she took up the challenge and decided to show how wrong these critics were. She launched her own photography company – Oyoon Emaratiya, or Emirati Eyes.

“What helped me is that I have the talent and have taken extensive photography courses,” she says.

Since its launch in April last year, more than 700 members have joined and it has participated in and covered more than 26 events across the UAE.

The company, through its website, also offers courses, workshops and even trips to landmarks such as Dalma Island.

“We have taken shots of the island and posted them on our website.”

Emirati Eyes has also covered live events, and uses the Twitter handle @OyoonEmaratiya.

“We covered National Day, the Quran Prize, the palm festival and many other traditional events.”

Amnah is also a budding poet. “I hope my writing may be a candle that sheds its light on every soul. A woman is a poet by nature, many women excelled in poetry.”

She also wants to become a wife and mother, but Amnah has no time for a partner who is not independent.

“If he is not a man who gives before he takes and contributes to the development of the country instead of relying on it, I will not look at him. I don’t accept half men in my life. Success cannot be achieved easily, it needs a lot of effort, work and dedication.

“A woman may face many obstacles but she has to challenge all that to get to her goals. A quick success leads to a quick fall. To take the ladder of success you have to go step by step and live failure on the way or you won’t taste success.”

As if all that were not enough, Amnah is not losing focus on her studies and wants to become a diplomat.

She wants to represent her country and play a role in solving some of the problems affecting people across the world.

During Dubai’s ultimately successful bid to host Expo 2020, she held an exhibition of photographs that showed the capability and potential of Dubai and the UAE.

Her inspiration to become a politician are the country’s rulers, she says, because of the country’s achievements.

“The world is suffering from poverty, wars and hunger. I dream one day I will be in a position that allows me to make a change.”