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Female car repair shop owner blazes a trail in the UAE

Female car repair shop owner blazes a trail in the UAE

Her family was initially doubtful but her father took a leap of faith with her.
26 Apr, 2021

Huda al-Matroushi is one of few Emirati women to venture into the car repair business, an industry that has long been dominated by men in the Arab world.

“I enjoy it a lot,” says Matroushi, holding up her oil-stained work glove. “Because I’m on top of my job, and it’s my business, I belong to it: I feel proud of myself.” Cars have been a hobby for Matroushi, 36, since childhood.

“I like cars and their models and their details. I like sports cars, I like luxurious cars, even normal non-luxurious cars, I love them all.” She turned that passion into a profession and now owns and manages a car repair shop in Sharjah, one of the seven emirates that make up the United Arab Emirates.

Matroushi’s family had doubts about her pursuing a job in car mechanics, but she asked her father to take a leap of faith with her.

“I said: ‘Dad, please trust me and you will see what I will do.’ He said: ‘OK, OK!’. Most of my family are surprised ... because this project, this business, it’s not easy for ladies,” she said.

Matroushi’s male employee, Mohammed Halawani, said it was initially strange to see a woman in charge of the garage.

“But after I joined and we started working and she’d tell me: disassemble this, assemble that, [it was clear] that she has experience.” Matroushi hopes she can transform her single garage into a big repair centre, or open more garages across the UAE.

The UAE stipulates under new legislation that came into effect last month that UAE-based companies must have at least one woman on their board of directors.

Originally published in Dawn, April 26th, 2021

Comments

Zahid Apr 26, 2021 10:35am
Impressive!
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Nizamuddin Ahmad Aali Apr 26, 2021 11:04am
Congratulations. This is called the empowerment of Arab women. Good luck and best wishes.
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MBA Apr 26, 2021 11:32am
Luck needs hard work and courage. Ms. Matroushi seems to have both. GOOD LUCK.
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ABE Apr 26, 2021 11:37am
Not unusual for many Arab countries,, but novel just for UAE. Visit Egypt and you will see female rickshaw drivers, taxi drivers, bus and truck drivers and repair mechanics. Same in Iraq, Morroco and elsewhere, where Women are enterprising in a field that is traditionally male-dominated elsewhere.
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Syed Apr 26, 2021 12:10pm
Awesome ! Great to see women progress in this field, It would be great to see women in Pakistan take up roles such as Carpenter, Plumber, Welder, Mechanic and escape their blue collar jobs of washing the dishes and mopping floors.
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Rock Solid Apr 26, 2021 12:31pm
Awesome!! Keep it up , best wishes! Thanks Dawn for sharing this
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Sunshine Apr 26, 2021 12:33pm
True women empowerment!!
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NYS Apr 26, 2021 02:25pm
She is game changer
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Apr 26, 2021 02:34pm
Welcome to the unique club and the distinguished clubhouse. As always, keep it up and hang on tough.
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M. Saeed Apr 26, 2021 02:40pm
It takes a lot of physical strength to move even a wheel spanner to open the wheel of a vehicle. Lifting the engine block out even with chain pulley, is a big job for men.
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Bilalsaeed Apr 26, 2021 03:11pm
Good
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Bilalsaeed Apr 26, 2021 03:12pm
Very good
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Wolf Apr 26, 2021 03:34pm
She is an inspiration. Excellent job.
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Abdulrahman Apr 26, 2021 05:31pm
Wishing you good luck and joy
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Abdulrahman Apr 26, 2021 05:32pm
Wishing you good luck and joy
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Abdulrahman Apr 26, 2021 05:34pm
Wishing you good luck and joy
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Abdulrahman Apr 26, 2021 05:35pm
Wishing you good luck and joy
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well-wisher Apr 26, 2021 07:16pm
Bravo! Congrats and wishes for greater success. Shows UAE is not ANY Muslim country. It sets women free to explore any business. Thank you UAE.
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Suhail Apr 27, 2021 05:39am
I'm a car ac mechanic is there any chance for me
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Suhail Apr 27, 2021 05:43am
Is there any chance for me
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Dilya Apr 27, 2021 07:47pm
Good job keeping go.....never give up.... Love job
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Stupid News Apr 28, 2021 04:46pm
Doesn't Pakistani News have anything else to do except talking about women this women that. How many women die on daily basis protecting this country.
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ak4pk Apr 28, 2021 07:01pm
@M. Saeed, didn’t you know that we are in the age of power tools, a lot of jobs these days do not require muscle power. Women folks are moving into new territories which a couple of decades ago seemed daunting. Am sure you are in the knowledge that some women in “GB” in Northern Pakistan have taken up carpentry. I find the trend “exciting”.
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