First Emirati woman mechanic: How Huda Al Matroushi is carving out her own place in a male-dominated industry in the UAE

First Emirati woman mechanic: How Huda Al Matroushi is carving out her own place in a male-dominated industry in the UAE

Dubai: Huda Al Matroushi, 36, an Emirati, was overwhelmed with emotion last week after she received the phone call of her life. It was from none other than His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces. Sheikh Mohamed congratulated her for making her presence felt in a job, and an industry, that is otherwise dominated by men. Al Matroushi is a car mechanic who owns her own garage, Imex Car Service, in Sharjah's Industrial Area 1. She also has a day-time job with Sharjah government where she heads a department. Her passion for and perseverance with her twin responsibilities should send out a strong message to women all over the world that anything is possible, anything is achievable — no limits, no boundaries. In a video that has gone viral on social media, Al Matroushi is seen speaking to the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince on the phone, who is seen congratulating her for achieving a feat that very few women have dared to even attempt. In an interview with Gulf News, Al Matroushi said her happiness knew no bounds when the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince said