The Women of Jeddah
The women of Jeddah
The best part of what I do is a few times a year I get invited to talk about myself in universities and colleges around the world. This year I was invited to be a part of a panel discussion at the Jeddah Entrepreneurs Meet 2012. Now call me a cliché, but I never go to Saudi, opting to go twice to Mecca and back only. I never hung around or explored the area despite having friends of the family there.
Travelling to Jeddah freaked my dad out.
‘You are going alone? Is that even allowed?’
‘I don’t know.’ Panic.
It got even worse when I landed. When should I cover my hair? As soon as I land? I had no idea.
So away I went alone with my hair uncovered wearing a abaya that I haven’t worn in years.
And let me tell you, it was fine that I was travelling alone, and it was fine that my hair was uncovered. Because like the cliché ad campaign goes, Jeddah is ghair, in other words, Jeddah is different than the rest of Saudi.
I honestly felt like I was in Bahrain minus the driving. I stayed at the gorgeous Hilton, I was spoilt from the moment I landed with a car picking me up straight from the last stair step I took off the plane. I spent two days in Layaleena 2 one of the most extravagant halls in the city where the conference was held, surrounded by strong ambitious women entrepreneurs in Jeddah.
In Jeddah, I could laugh as hard as I want, girls had their nails painted, wore make up and accessories, smoked cigarettes, had pixie haircuts, wore retro earrings and mixed with the other sex.
Minus the wall that separated the women and men at the event the stage was a mixed panel of ng and old, official and entrepreneurs, both female and male and I was instructed to cover my hair once throughout the duration of my trip and it was when I met Prince Saud Bin Khalid Al Faisal, and even he didn’t even seem to care every time my shaila fell awkwardly when we spoke.
During day 1 of the conference a mix of local and international flown in entrepreneurs shared their frank and resourceful success stories.
Day 2 was far more interesting to me. It was the day that the women who had businesses or wanted to own a business would question officials and high ranked CEO’s and heads of organizations about the challenges they faced as entrepenuers.
I was curious to see how members of the public sector would react to these women and their enquiries. First up was the minister of information who was a man well late in his 60s. One entrepreneur after the other, they took to the microphone probing and honestly enquiring about presenting challenges. A young woman at 18 years old, got up to ask the minister how she could open an animation company, if she was only 18, and the requirements were that she had to be 25 years of age. He stared at her puzzled then slowly said ‘ Come to my office tomorrow, and you will get your license.’
A loud streak of applause followed.
One after the other entrepreneur after entrepreneur asked the minister for help and permission. He positively said yes to each and every one.
By the 30th question though the calm and collected minister seemed to run out of excuses. He offered to help and assist each women but it crossed my mind that the problem was in the system and its outdated rules and regulations and sometimes not with the officials themselves. The solution is not to grant each individual a license but rather to alter the system to support and aid entrepreneurs thus paving the way for innovation instead of doing a one on one session with each person.
On a positive note, a group of 25 Saudi women entrepreneurs who presented their business ideas to a jury of companies and organizations during the confrence all got awarded financial support, free marketing and PR services, with the Minister of Commerce throwing in paid salaries for teh first year of business to encourage the women to keep going.
It grew evident that the ministers and other high ranking company CEOs began to compete to help. From grants to mentoring and clients, salaries, and mentorship these women were set for the next year. The conference had a real buzz to it, with a swirl of positive energy flowing around. You could’ve touched it. Everything felt possible.
When compared the challenges we face in Bahrain and Saudi, are very much the same. Outdated dinosaur system vs struggling innovative mind. Only difference is women in Saudi face tribal custom and traditional barrier but receive a great deal of funding and the Bahrainis have a much easier channel for authorization to practice business yet we suffer from lack of grants and schemes for start ups and shortage of mentoring and emotional support.
In the last few hours before the closing ceremony group of women entrepreneurs had an informal one on one session meeting with the charismatic Prince Saud Al Faisal, who is deputy governor for Investment Affairs and third son of the current governor of Mecca, who spent a little more than an hour, listening to the challenges the women were facing. There were no demands here, just a therapeutic session almost where the Prince was trying to figure who to contact from the cabinet to help. One of the advice he offered was one two entrepreneurs were complaining about a matter they had with teh Ministry of Health, he suggested that they link together and tackle this as a group challenge.
‘If there is more of you suffering from the same problem, they will have to look at your cases.’
He listened and was very patient. And even when the organisers wanted to cut it short he asked to stay till the session over. I was in awe at this humble official who was generous with time, humble with answers, and listened patiently to complaint after complaint without feeling frustrated or defensive.
I am now writing his column on my way back to my homeland holding a higher standard with how ministries and officials should deal with entrepreneurs. I am heading back to gather my fellow creative’s so we can demand more support, more grants and a kinder approach to supporting the young businessmen of the island.
On a last note the women of Jeddah are not to be underestimated, they come from a melting pot of cultures and countries; they are humble and kind but forceful. They are strong and trendy, and if given the chance they can rise to be global players in the region.
*I would like to thank my generous and hospitable hosts, the women behind TRACCS and a personal note to Ahmed Zainal for giving me the opportunity to see first hand what women in Saudi are capable of doing. You put together a splendid smooth sailing event that benefited entrepreneurs more than you can probably imagine.