Alliance Francaise Khobar celebrates female Saudi entrepreneurs

AL-KHOBAR: In honor of International Women’s Day, the Alliance Francaise Khobar brought together three Saudi women entrepreneurs on March 6 for an engaging conversation centered on empowerment and overcoming challenges.

The evening was attended by community members interested in learning more about the areas of expertise represented on the panel. 

The Alliance Francaise Khobar offers French and Arabic lessons at its location in Al-Khobar, and the evening’s discussion was conducted in Arabic.

The three women chosen to be on stage each brought a different perspective and set of expertise: Adwa Al-Harbi from the beauty world, Amna Sidqi Bokhamsin from the literary and education sector and Dr. Laila Abualsaud, who went from being a medical doctor to a fashion designer.

Al-Harbi talked about her journey entering the beauty space 17 years ago, when she opened a women’s salon with her mother. Armed with a degree in business, she has also been a Saudi trainer for the Empretec program, aimed at entrepreneurs of all sizes in the Kingdom, which is affiliated with the UN Conference on Trade and Development, in collaboration with the Social Development Bank in Saudi Arabia.

Al-Harbi said: “As women, we need to think outside the box, be creative, have patience and be diligent. But mostly, we should be flexible.”

Bokhamsin, a vivacious and articulate Saudi novelist and writer from Al-Ahsa, founded Yaqelon Education Co. and Yaqelon Higher Institute in 2019, which is the first such establishment of its kind in the Kingdom where philosophy and music are taught academically.

She told the crowd: “While we rightfully spotlight the various accomplished Saudi women in the community, we must not forget to shed light on the women who work at home, the women who raise her children — who will later become successful — and the woman who supports the man who becomes successful. All of these women are successful, but some are in the shade. Success is a journey that we share.”

After studying medicine, Abualsaud shifted focus and followed her passion for fashion by creating her brand, Chic Design. She is also the co-founder of Mizan United Co., specialized in opticals and in helping customers receive eyecare support in the form of eyeglasses, sunglasses and contact lenses.

She said: “It’s so thrilling to witness history being written in real time. No matter what, we must trust our inner voice and continue to seek knowledge — but don’t just take a course and then rush out. Stay, meet the other participants, listen to their stories and thank the speakers and introduce yourself. Create lasting connections so that we all advance collectively.”