Who says that car repairs are a man's job? Meet Huda Al-Matroushi, the first woman to own a car repair business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the first female mechanic to be acknowledged by the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
Since childhood, Al-Matroushi has loved cars, and everything about them. In fact, she always wanted to dab into car repairs since her early 20s, so she decided to turn that passion into a full-time career. But, often seen as a man's job, and not very profitable, her family were at first apprehensive. They thought that it wouldn't be easy for her but, eventually, they would give her the support to persevere. With experience at the garage, and having earned her master's degree in management leadership, she would go on to launch her very own car repair business, "Imex Car Service," in Sharjah.
Al-Matroushi's venture would end up making her among the first Emirati women to run a car repair business, and this came around the time when a recent UAE legislation pushed for businesses operating within the emirates to have at least one woman in their board of directors. In fact, it even got the attention of His Highness Shaikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, who, during the holy month of Ramadan, congratulated Al-Matroushi on her endeavor over the phone.
Essentially, Imex Car Service offers car repairs and wheel balancing services. Al-Matroushi's long-term goal is to expand her business by either acquiring a larger garage or launching multiple branches. She also hopes to train a new generation of mechanics by teaching children how to repair toy car engines.
