- Working and volunteering with disabled individuals has helped me to understand more about my fellow humans and their individual needs. It has made me naturally empathetic
Amal Nemengani I help those who want to be helped to discover a better version of themselves. It has become my mission in life to abate human suffering, one person at a time. My name — Amal — means “hope,” and I like to reflect this in my dealing with people.
I have 18 years of experience in the health care system. It’s been a challenging journey of self-discovery. I was under the impression that, in order to work in health care, I would have to specialize in medicine, but that was not the case for me. I hold a bachelor’s degree in English literature, but I was intent on working in a hospital, and I quickly achieved that goal.
My first challenge was to tackle the status quo and be a leader of a team consisting of men and women in a society that was only just beginning to accept women in roles other than a teacher or doctor. There was one male member of the team, in particular, who found it very difficult to work for a female manager. It was hard to gain his trust, but once I had, he soon became one of the main assets of my team.
It was experiences like this that helped fuel my passion for change, inspired by Gandhi’s famous quote: “Be the change you want to see in the world.”
I gained a master’s degree in health information systems and management from the US and studied two minors — the psychological and social aspects of disability, and health policy.
During my years in America, I liked to think of myself as a Saudi female ambassador to the US. I worked hard to bridge the gap between two very different cultures, and, as time passed, I took great comfort from volunteering and public speaking.
I am currently the innovation and research manager, and chair of the National Patient Safety Award at the Saudi Patient Safety Center, VRO. My tasks include coming up with innovative solutions to health problems, while empowering and engaging with patients and families to design services that cater to their needs from their own point of view, using a “Design Thinking” innovation methodology.
I continue to work for positive change, as I have for more than 18 years, and the innovative hub I work in, allows me to help on a wider scale.
Working and volunteering with disabled individuals has helped me to understand more about my fellow humans and their individual needs. It has made me naturally empathetic.
I have become focused on social entrepreneurship, partnering with a friend to provide STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) training through the Amaleed Company to all students, including those with disabilities.
We aspire to “connect the dots” and meet the need for a comprehensive and affordable after-school program for students aged 3-18, one that complies with the National Transformation Program’s educational vision, and will inspire a generation of future thinkers who can lead the way to a better tomorrow for us all.