Dubai, February 02: Mariam Al Safar, 28, from Dubai, has made transport history, becoming the first female to operate a train in the UAE and in the whole of the Middle East.
Mariam is one of the few UAE residents qualified to take the reins of a Dubai Metro train, and the only woman to do so, the Dailymail reports.
Dubai has got one of the most advanced metro systems in the world, and it is actually manned by an automatic driving system, but a manual operator is still needed in case of unplanned incidents or for when the automatic system is undergoing repairs.
Faith Mutune, Mariam Al Safar s colleague, told the Dunya News: “She is the first local to drive. She was the only train attendant (when) we had a local. She is very hard working. She works early to come to work. She does night shifts, and she is everywhere.”
Miss Al Safar told Gulf News: “I am always open to challenges and I am not afraid to take risks. I work hard and my job is my top priority.”
Dubai’s government is empowering its women. Unlike other Middle East countries, women in Dubai are entering traditionally male-dominated workplaces in larger numbers.
“The government is always pushing women to be leaders of the future, so they are encouraging women to enter different fields,” Mariam said.
–Source: huffpost