Pinay chosen as Emirates Woman of the Year 2013
VISIONARY. Filipina Mary Jane Alvero Al Mahdi is honored with UAE's Woman of the Year Award 2013. Photo from Mary Jane's Facebook page.
MANILA, Philippines – Mary Jane Alvero Al Mahdi, 43, used to work in a textile factory. She used to make only 1,000 dirham a month (or about P11,000 a month), according to Gulf News’ Friday Magazine. She is now the CEO of Geoscience Testing Laboratory, a leading independent testing laboratory in the Middle East.
She told Gulf News in an interview in 2012, “While we were young, we lived in absolute comfort as my father’s business was thriving. But once his lung condition worsened, he was forced to remain confined to his bed and his business suffered."
Al Mahdi, determined to help her father, took part-time jobs, including working at a fast-food chain while she was studying chemical engineering.
“I went from riches to rags, and then back to riches,” Alvero told Gulf News. She first worked as a trainee for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) when she graduated in 1991. Her first project there was assisting in the revival of the Pasig River.
In 1992 she left for Dubai and worked in a textile factory before she took on a job as a quality assurance officer for Geoscience Testing Laboratory. 10 years later she was named its CEO.
“I dreamed of mentoring more people, especially my female compatriots in the UAE,” Al Mahdi said in an interview with GN.
According to the UAE’s The National, her most recent award is just one of dozens of accolades. Al Mahdi was honored as the runner-up of the Emirates Businesswoman Award in 2008 and named one of the 100 Most Influential Filipinas by the Filipina Women’s Network (FWN) just earlier this year.
On the Emirates Woman of the Year Awards 2013 official website, they said, “She was instrumental in growing her team from eight to over 450 staff. Despite her busy corporate role, Mary also finds time to give back to the community through charitable causes and set up 'The Livelihood Programme' helping people in the UAE upgrade their skills with free education.” She’s also started a private foundation to help street kids in the Philippines.
“My wife is an extraordinary Filipina with a unique success story,” her Emirati husband Mohammed Al Mahdi told The National.
Al Mahdi said, “I was given a standing ovation during my acceptance speech. I really didn’t expect that.”
Upon learning of the award she posted a simple thank you message on her Facebook wall: To God be the glory. – Rappler.com
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