Success story

As a young girl living in Bethlehem, I knew what I wanted to study. I got accepted at Bir Zeit University and graduated in 2003 with a B.Sc. in Architecture. When it comes to education, I was one of the few girls who were fortunate to have supportive families. My father works for UNRWA and my mother is a retired school principal, so together they were very invested in educating their children. In fact, they wouldn’t accept anything less than a B.A., and encouraged my siblings and me to pursue higher degrees.

After graduating from Bir Zeit, I began working immediately for the Centre for Cultural Heritage Preservation in Bethlehem. I spent five years working there, doing everything from drawing designs for rehabilitation of historical buildings, to drawing up tenders, to negotiating price offers. I even contributed drawings and content to a book on “The History of the Anatreh Quarter in Bethlehem”. I loved my work; however, as time went on I felt an urge to expand my horizons and face a new challenge. I decided to enrol in the Masters in International Cooperation and Development (MICAD) Program at Bethlehem University. I wanted to work for an international NGO and thought the MICAD would help me achieve this. It was a right choice because upon graduating I was hired as Infrastructure Coordinator with ANERA. I was pleased because ANERA and the Emergency Water and Sanitation Program, funded by USAID, have a good reputation in the West Bank for helping the neediest communities. I knew that having ANERA and the donor USAID on my CV would boost my career.

Since working at ANERA on the EWAS Program, I have fulfilled many of my ambitions. I have learned about the ins and outs of working for an international NGO and donor. I have been exposed to a larger geographical area well beyond the Bethlehem Governorate. Some people thought this would be an obstacle, but to me, it was an opportunity. I now have experience working all over the Hebron and Bethlehem Governorates – roughly a third of the West Bank!

When I first started visiting work sites as a fresh graduate, it was difficult. I would get questioning looks from workmen wondering why a young woman in a safety helmet was talking to them about detailed technical issues. But I ignored the looks and instead focused on learning how to approach the workers and engineers, how to talk to them, and how to gain their respect. Yes, I am a woman, but I am also an architect and I understand my work very well. With time, workers would see that I had the capabilities and experience to do my job well.

Even when I was pregnant, I didn’t let that stop me from going to work and going on site visits. On the contrary, I was determined not to let it become a weakness and wouldn’t give anybody the satisfaction of thinking so. Women all over the world have enough obstacles to face in their careers without succumbing to the belief that once they become pregnant, their careers are over. It was physically tiring, but something inside me pushed me on. When workmen saw me pregnant on sites, I had to be very strong and show that I was still a functioning human being who could think and respond logically!

I am blessed that I have a very supportive husband who helped me while I was getting my MICAD and during my pregnancies. He had no problem helping with the children, the cleaning, etc., while I was studying for exams or simply too tired to function. But most importantly, I have persevered through my own sheer will. My education and work experiences have strengthened my character and my self-confidence, and I will certainly pass on these life lessons to my own children. If any woman looks to me as an example and pursues what is deemed an unusual career for a female, I will be very pleased!