After three years of loneliness prompted by moving to a new country, where she didn’t know anybody, Hanan Wehbe found a way to make sure no one would feel the way she did again.
In 2010, the Palestinian mother-of-three moved to Abu Dhabi where she struggled to meet people or find advice on the best doctors, schools and activities to enrol her children in.
“Moving to a new place and trying to cope with the surrounding community was not easy on us as a family. It was challenging to mingle and meet new friends and neighbours,” she said.
Ms Wehbe, 35, wanted to connect with her local community but also provide a platform for women to exchange knowledge and become active members of society.
Three years after her arrival in the UAE, she created the Abu Dhabi Ladies Forum group on Facebook
The goal of the group was to connect with other mothers or expatriates, share useful tips, get engaged in social activities and participate in various awareness workshops.
“After three years of struggle, I decided to create a Facebook group that would help me connect with other women and mothers to share tips and maybe form friendships,” she said.
“I was surprised with the number of women who requested to join the group and in less than a year we reached 10,000 members.
“We started by asking questions about where to find the best curtain shop or what is the best school in the area and then decided to arrange for a gathering to get to know each other in person. That was the beginning of new friendships,” said Ms Wehbe.
After meeting with some of the group members and taking in their suggestions on how to benefit more from the group, Ms Wehbe, along with other members, started to arrange community initiatives, awareness and voluntary campaigns, fairs and other activities.
“We arrange lots of initiatives, such as cancer and medical awareness lectures in collaboration with many healthcare institutions, book and craft fairs, we help families in need by providing them with clothes and food, visit special needs centres, take part in cultural activities and so much more,” she said.
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“We stand by each other, support one another and we have become one big family,” said Ms Wehbe.
The group now has more than 30,000 members. Naglaa Fathy, 36, said she joined two years ago hoping to meet friends and get introduced to different activates.
“We moved to Abu Dhabi in 2006, and of course it’s hard to be away from your family and friends and it's more difficult to make new friends as everyone is busy with their lives,” said the Egyptian mother of two.
“The group made me feel more alive and introduced me to a whole new community,” said Ms Fathy.
“My children also started to make new friends, it’s like our home away from home.”
Liza Kanso, 38, said she has been introduced to many who share the same interests and hobbies as her through the group.
“I love arts and crafts and the group gave me the opportunity to find places that provided art classes,” said the Lebanese mother of two.
“Each time I visit the group, I find new useful things and my children enjoy the monthly gatherings.
“We don’t feel lonely anymore and the group has given us the opportunity to give back to the community and learn new things through the workshops and lectures they organise regularly,” said Ms Kanso.
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Vidaamuyarchi
Director: Magizh Thirumeni
Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra
Rating: 4/5
ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY
Starting at 10am:
Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang
Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)
Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)
Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera
Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas
Banned items
Dubai Police has also issued a list of banned items at the ground on Sunday. These include:
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Political flags or banners
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Bikes, skateboards or scooters
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
The bio
Who inspires you?
I am in awe of the remarkable women in the Arab region, both big and small, pushing boundaries and becoming role models for generations. Emily Nasrallah was a writer, journalist, teacher and women’s rights activist
How do you relax?
Yoga relaxes me and helps me relieve tension, especially now when we’re practically chained to laptops and desks. I enjoy learning more about music and the history of famous music bands and genres.
What is favourite book?
The Perks of Being a Wallflower - I think I've read it more than 7 times
What is your favourite Arabic film?
Hala2 Lawen (Translation: Where Do We Go Now?) by Nadine Labaki
What is favourite English film?
Mamma Mia
Best piece of advice to someone looking for a career at Google?
If you’re interested in a career at Google, deep dive into the different career paths and pinpoint the space you want to join. When you know your space, you’re likely to identify the skills you need to develop.
All about the Sevens
Cape Town Sevens on Saturday and Sunday: Pools A – South Africa, Kenya, France, Russia; B – New Zealand, Australia, Spain, United States; C – England, Scotland, Argentina, Uganda; D – Fiji, Samoa, Canada, Wales
HSBC World Sevens Series standing after first leg in Dubai 1 South Africa; 2 New Zealand; 3 England; 4 Fiji; 5 Australia; 6 Samoa; 7 Kenya; 8 Scotland; 9 France; 10 Spain; 11 Argentina; 12 Canada; 13 Wales; 14 Uganda; 15 United States; 16 Russia
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Small Victories: The True Story of Faith No More by Adrian Harte
Jawbone Press
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Mercedes%20E200
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
COMPANY PROFILE
● Company: Bidzi
● Started: 2024
● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid
● Based: Dubai, UAE
● Industry: M&A
● Funding size: Bootstrapped
● No of employees: Nine
The specs: 2018 Honda City
Price, base: From Dh57,000
Engine: 1.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 118hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 146Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 5.8L / 100km
Match info
Australia 580
Pakistan 240 and 335
Result: Australia win by an innings and five runs
Match info
Liverpool 4
Salah (19'), Mane (45 2', 53'), Sturridge (87')
West Ham United 0
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
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