http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=68204&d=10&m=8&y=2005
Wednesday, 10, August, 2005 (05, Rajab, 1426)
Woman Stamps Her Passport to Success
Saleh Fareed, Arab News
Fawzia Muhammad Al-Mubarki is blazing her own trail.
She hopes to be the first woman passport expediter. (AN photo)
JEDDAH, 10 August 2005 - As women look for new opportunities
in the world of business and commerce, one ambitious young Saudi hopes to be
the first woman passport expediter.
Fawzia Muhammad Al-Mubarki is blazing her own trail despite
her family's protests; she plans to enter the male-dominated world of private
agents who deal with passports, iqama and visas for ordinary people. She
realizes it may be a long, hard struggle, but the industrious divorced mother
of three seems up to the task.
"It's been a big challenge for me to get experience as a
passport expediter, but I look forward to meeting the challenge and proving
that I, as a woman, can do it," Fawzia told Arab News.
Fawzia's story is one of self-reliance and determination. "I
found myself alone in society, without the support of anyone; therefore, I
decided to go on with my life and look for jobs so I could support my mother
and me," she said. "I took various jobs in hospitals, day-care centers and
real-estate companies after my second marriage ended nine years ago, but I
didn't find myself until I took on this profession. I really enjoy processing
passports and iqamas."
Fawzia has no office though she hopes to have one some day.
She hasn't let that stop her, however. "I can reach my clients through my own
communications." She began by processing documents for some women she knew.
Since then her business has grown as satisfied customers recommend her services
to family and friends. Now she serves more men than women.
"What I do right now is to promote myself through my friends,
local gatherings and other events. Some people are shocked when I tell them
that I am a passport expediter," she said.
Fawzia doesn't have any trouble getting customers, but she
says that men working in the field sometimes harass her and that sometimes the
Passports Department isn't very helpful.
"Yes, I've faced many obstacles and some harassment from men,
either in the Passports Department or in other government departments," Fawzia
said. "As a woman, I wasn't allowed to enter the Passports Department building
to get my business done, and I used to stand in front of the main gate in order
to get permission to enter."
One obstacle is cleared and another one pops up in the form
of established expediters.
"Once they knew that I was invading their all-male
profession, they started to turn their backs on me, thinking that I was getting
better treatment from Passports Department officers," she said. "They started
spreading rumors about me in order to make passports officials dislike me and
make me give up the job."
Undaunted, she remains determined to achieve her goal.
"I have never cared about what happens to me," Fawzia said.
"But I care that I have a goal to achieve and I am close to achieving it. The
next step is getting an official permit from the government."
She has made her request directly to a prince who she hopes
will be impressed by her industry and determination. "My hope is that he will
consider my wish to conduct my service in ease and comfort without any
harassment," Fawzia said.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
<font face=arial size=-1><a
href="http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=12h33ov7h/M=362335.6886444.7839734.2575449/D=groups/S=1705796846:TM/Y=YAHOO/EXP=1123662997/A=2894362/R=0/SIG=138c78jl6/*http://www.networkforgood.org/topics/arts_culture/?source=YAHOO&cmpgn=GRP&RTP=http://groups.yahoo.com/";>What
would our lives be like without music, dance, and theater?Donate or volunteer
in the arts today at Network for Good</a>.</font>
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
