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Maid’s daughter beats the odds to become Dubai lecturer

November 24, 2016

Dubai, Nov 24: Shahra Jafar Ali, a housemaid’s daughter who secured a full scholarship at Murdoch University in 2013, has graduated with distinction in two majors. What is more, last week she has landed a job as a lecturer at the university.

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Only three years ago, the Indian teenager despite having a brilliant academic record faced a bleak future as lack of funds threatened to cut short her education.

Shahra had won plenty of trophies and awards for sports and academics, but she, a grade 12 student then, could not think of a college life as her mother could not afford the tuition fees.

A report in XPRESS highlighting Shahra’s plight, however, changed all that. She secured a full scholarship with Murdoch University for an under-graduate course in Computer Science.

Vice Chancellor’s award

Fast-forward, Shahra is a double graduate with distinction and recipient of the Vice Chancellor’s award for academic excellence in Information Technology (IT).

“Destiny may have favoured this young girl, but nobody can take away the fact that she worked hard to get where she is today. She did not forget the huge favour bestowed on her. And she worked doubly hard to show her worth. Shahra is naturally brilliant, but I do not know of another student in the IT course who worked harder,” said Dan Adkins, Academic Director – Murdoch University Dubai and COO of Global Institute Management.

“She did not miss a day at college and would come to college at 9am and leave by 6pm. In her last year, she was learning programming, operating systems and data base and had built a solid foundation,” Atkins told XPRESS.

Shahra has now secured a full time job as a lecturer at the university.

“It is like a dream come true, I cannot express my happiness in words. Three years ago I had no direction in life. I did not know where life was going to take me. There was no money in the house, our visa status unsure. Today thanks to Murdoch University, there is a purpose in my life. I have a job and am able to support my family. That is a huge thing,” said Shahra.

“My brother has been given a scholarship and 75 per cent of his tuition fees have been taken care of. The rest I am paying. Currently I am teaching foundation students – the basics of computers. Gradually I hope to progress in my job and sponsor my mother and brothers.”

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Shahra Jafar Ali with her family at the graduation ceremony

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Agencies
May 25,2020

Abu Dhabi, May 25: Dusty weather to persist in the UAE on Monday as well with a chance of rainfall in parts of the country, the national Met department reported.

According to the NCM, the weather today will be fair to partly cloudy, with a chance of some convective clouds formation by afternoon - eastward and northward - extending to some internal areas that may be associated with some rainfall.

The weather will get humid by night and Tuesday morning over some coastal areas.

NCM predicts a wet Eid break.

Sharjah Police issued a weather warning as heavy rain flooded roads in Sharjah's Kalba among other areas.

Moderate to fresh winds will gain strength during the day causing blowing dust and sand.

The sea will be slight to moderate in the Arabian Gulf and in Oman Sea.

Earlier on Sunday, a weather alert was issued by authorities as moderate to heavy rain - accompanied with hail - lashed parts of the UAE. A rainbow in Dubai skies cheered up residents, celebrating a unique Eid this year amid the coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic - by mostly staying home.

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News Network
May 25,2020

May 25: A total of 241 Indians including 136 people who were jailed in Kuwait would return to the country soon, a senior minister said on Sunday.

The other 105 people were stranded in Bangladesh, Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath said.

"Altogether 136 people from Tripura and Assam, who are at present in jail in Kuwait for violating that country's laws, would be deported. They will reach Guwahati between May 27 and June 4 in a special flight," Nath told reporters.

He said the matter has been officially informed by the Kuwaiti government, but the reason for their imprisonment is not known.

"We had requested the Kuwaiti authorities to drop the Tripura residents here. However, they informed us that the flight would land in a single airport," the minister added.

Nath said 105 residents of Tripura, who are stranded in different places of Bangladesh will return to the state through the Agartala-Akhaura integrated check post on May 28.

"They would be taken to institutional quarantine and swabs of all the passengers would be collected for COVID-19 test," Nath said.

If the report of their samples tests negative, they would be allowed to leave the facility and remain under 14 days of home quarantine. And those who test positive would be hospitalized, he said.

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Agencies
June 5,2020

Expatriate workers who fail to abide by the coronavirus protocols in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may face deportation, according to media reports.

“Individuals who fail to abide by preventive measures, including wearing medical or cloth face masks, failing to observe social distancing and refusing to have their temperatures taken, will be fined SR1,000. The fine will be doubled if the violation is repeated. Residents will be deported after paying the fines,” Okaz newspaper said.

Authorities called on people to report offenders by dialling the toll free number 999, except for the holy city of Makka, where the toll free number is 911.

As per the newly-revised Saudi protocols, social gatherings such as mourning or celebration events that take place inside homes, rest houses or farms, are allowed, but attendants should not exceed 50 persons.

The private sector is also required to adhere to precautionary measures: providing their staff with disinfectants and sanitisers, taking the temperatures of both staff and customers at the entrances of shopping malls.

Other measures include sterilising shopping trolleys and baskets after each use, sanitising facilities and surfaces, closing children’s play areas and fitting rooms in shopping malls and ready-wear outlets.

Authorities highlighted the need for all individuals and entities to abide by health safety rules, social-distancing protocol and the new guidelines set for social gatherings.

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