Friday 19 / April / 2024
Muscat: Muscat: At 31, Awatif Malik Abdullah Al Harthy has achieved what many others can only dream of.
Though married and having three children, Al Harthy still managed to obtain three degrees and show a lot more exemplary achievements on the way.
She just got her Masters degree in Executive Business Administration from Waljat College of Applied Sciences (WCAS) in Oman, stood first in her major, and obtained a gold medal for it.
“I now have three degrees, my first degree was in English Language and Literature from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in 2006, then I obtained my post-graduate diploma in Translation in 2010 again from SQU, and finally Executive MBA in 2015 from WCAS”
This young and ambitious lady has been working for about a decade now since her graduation in 2006. She was the first staff to join Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB), thus assisted Dr. Abdullah Al Futaisi in his noble mission of establishing OMSB.
“Dr. Abdullah Al Futaisi was the first one to pave my career. H.E. established the entire organization and I was there with him; assisting him. He was an example of hard work and enthusiasm. He supported me to pursue my studies and was always a source of encouragement and aspiration” Al Harthy said.
Her biggest inspiration in life is her father. “My father is an inspiring example. He is the one who fostered my mind. He made me the woman that I am today. Since my childhood, he encouraged me to read and read as much as I could. He supported throughout the course of my life. He values education and has always urged me and my siblings that seeking for education is a war that we have to win. He embraced me with guidance, advice, and love.” To make him proud of me, I feel obliged to pursue a PhD soon.
When asked what had motivated her to study all these years, she said, “The environment in which I was raised in helped me. I, thus, enjoy studying. For me, a degree is not about obtaining a certificate. People are mistaken that you need a certificate to secure a job or career advancement. Instead, I personally believe that knowledge should be sought for self-improvement. Knowledge makes you open-minded, and able to look at things from different perspectives”
And when asked about Omani female society, Al Harthy thinks that it has undergone tremendous changes for the better. “Our culture has changed. Women are given the chance to study, work, get involve in business, and contribute to many aspects of the society, etc. They do things they wouldn’t have even thought of in the past.”
She advises young people to be thirsty for knowledge. “Anyone can obtain a certificate, but not everyone can acquire knowledge and be open-minded.”
Another thing that Al Harthy wants to highlight is the importance of consistency and time management, “My schedule is so busy usually. I have so many obligations and responsibilities. Yet, I manage to study and carry out my duties. I take my education seriously, I have my social life, help my little ones study, I even spare some leisure time to amuse myself.”
She concludes, “Reading is the key to success. The more you read and work sincerely, the better you feel about yourself.”
