Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC) recently organized an introductory workshop in collaboration with Dubai Quality Group (DQG) for the upcoming "Emirates Women Award 2011 (EWA)."

EWA was launched in 2003 under the patronage of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports, and chairman and CEO of Emirates Airlines, said DQG, the founders of the initiative.

The award is dedicated to encourage women, UAE nationals and residents, to play vital role in UAE economy and its future growth as well as to recognize and appreciate distinguished businesswomen and professionals.

The workshop was a part of a series of events organized by different business women councils in UAE to introduce applicants to the EWA award rules and regulations.

Ameera A. Binkaram, chairperson of SBWC, said the council aims to empower professional and business women to set and realize their ambitions in both traditional and non-traditional sectors in the UAE.

The goal of the award falls in line with SBWC strategy that urges us to work in unity with business and professional women associations as well as concerned authorities in the UAE to develop economic, trade and industrial activities, she added.

The workshop included an interactive panel discussion in which participants focused on three topics: How they started their business, the challenges they faced as well as their future plans.

Sheikha Mai Al Qassimi, founder of SugarBox, Sara Al Madani and Apple, founders of Rouge Couture Fashion House, Samia Ataya, founder of Catwalk Cow, Hanan Al Mahmoud,  head of Business Management at Sharjah Ladies Club and founder of Betterfly, Marwa Al Aqroubi, business development manager at the Executive Office of Sheikha Bodour Bint Sultan Al Qasimi and author of children books, Iman Al Midfa, director of Projects at Sharjah Investment & Development Authority and founder of Ghizlan Fashion House took part.

The participants pointed out that funding was not a main obstacle for establishing their own businesses as some of them started with a budget that did not exceed Dh3,000 to 10,000 ($816 to $2,722).

"The biggest obstacle for any woman is the lack of confidence in herself. Here comes the role of the family and community in providing emotional support. The participants extended their gratitude for SBWC for its continuous support to their initiatives," said Binkaram.

The 2006 EWA winner for Business Category, Nafisa Al Mulla, and the 2010 runner up for professional category, Roudha Al Mihrizi, shared with the audience their personal experince.

They said the Award motivated  them to continue the hard work to serve the community.

Samya Al Yousif, CEO of DQG, said, "Winning is not the only advantage of EWA. It is rather the self-assessment and the experience women undergoes while participating in the award."

She called upon both national and expatriate business and professional women with a minimum of 3 years work/business experience in the respective fields, to apply for the award.

There are 9 winners each year; winner of the business category and the runner up, winner of the professional category and its runner up, and winners for best performers of each of the Awards five criteria.

The award criteria are leadership, strategic and financial planning, career achievements, community contributions and innovation. The deadline for receiving nominees applications is April 7.-TradeArabia News Service