Tuesday 23 / April / 2024
Muscat: Sharing the joy of being honoured by His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik, Omani women, who were conferred awards by the Honourable Lady, the Spouse of His Majesty the Sultan, told the Times of Oman that this will motivate them for years to come.
These women, who were honoured on the occasion of Omani Women’s Day, said it is the duty of every citizen to contribute towards the development of the country.
Rahma Salim Al Tamtami, the president of the Omani Women’s Association, said her happiness knew no bounds after receiving her award. Felicitated for her volunteer work, which she began in 2007, Al Tamtami has taken part in organising community participation to spread awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic among the population in Muttrah, and has conducted campaigns in multiple languages for maximum reach and understanding.
“I cannot describe how I felt after being named one of the Omani women to be honoured,” said Al Tamtami, who was also the head of the Al Rouh volunteer group from 2009 to 2019. “This is proof that every hardworking person will reap the reward of his or her efforts. I thank God for this kind honour from our wise government, and appreciate the efforts of everyone who supported my efforts that have resulted in me meeting the Honourable Lady.”
Honours on that day were also conferred on Raya bint Rashid Al Alawi, a member of the Board of Directors of the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, its representative in the Buraimi branch, and the Chair of the Businesswomen’s Committee in Al Buraimi. “Meeting the Honourable Lady, the Spouse of His Majesty, for the first time, made me very pleased,” she said. “I found her to be a very humble woman, and was filled with a sense of prestige while in front of her. This was truly a proud moment for me, and I am very pleased with the words she shared with me, and her praise of the efforts of Omani women.”
“The Honourable Lady spoke of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimour, his keenness in the contributions of Omani women, and making them a key partner in the Blessed Renaissance,” added Al Alawi, who established the Baraim Private Nursery in her governorate in 2004, and is the local director of child welfare for the Omani Women’s Association. “To allocate a day celebrating Omani women and their achievements is to honour us.”
Having come all the way from Musandam to receive her award, Aisha Al Shehhi’s work as a senior consultant in family medicine and the head of Dibba Hospital has been instrumental in limiting the spread of COVID-19 in the country’s northern region.
“My impression is a feeling of pride and the value of the Omani woman and her position in society, which is shared by His Majesty the Sultan, and his Spouse, the Honourable Lady,” she said. “We have dreamt of meeting her, and she decided to honour us with her presence. Our conversations with her showed us that she looked upon us with pride, and we are confident that Omani women will progress even further in future.”
"We are grateful for her warm welcome, good manners and generosity showed to us,” added Al Shehhi, who has twice served as the head of the Omani Women’s Association in Dibba. “Although we spent a short time with her, we have come to know the ambitions of our Sultan and his Spouse for the country. We see that the men and women in Oman are going to achieve the peak of their success under their guidance, as was also the aim of the late His Majesty.”
Al Shehhi said it was the duty of every Omani to contribute to the development of the country in a manner that made them proud of their homeland, and to ensure the Sultanate was properly represented in the fields of culture, medicine, scientific research and society at global forums.
As the head of the Emergency and Crisis Response Committee at the Directorate General of Health Services in South Sharqiyah, Zainab Al Maskari took over the running of the coronavirus pandemic operations room in the governorate to make sure public institutions were working with society to minimise the spread of the disease.
“There is of course a feeling of pride when the Honourable Lady appreciates our efforts on this exceptional day,” she said. “This appreciation on Omani Women’s Day has come in recognition of the pioneering and leading women who have moved the wheel of progress and made advancements in the progress of our country.”
Adding to this, Maryam Al Hooti of the clinical physiology department at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, said, “All of us are proud to receive this honour from the Honourable Lady, the Spouse of His Majesty Sultan Haitham Bin Tarik. Omani Women’s Day is a catalyst for all women to help build our country, after the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said bin Taimur dedicated October 17 to us, to demonstrate that women are essential to development.
“His Majesty’s continued approach is focused on keenness and interest in Omani women’s contributions. It is our responsibility to answer our country’s call and do the best for our citizens,” added Al Hooti, who is also part of quality control at SQU, and is among the first Omanis to conduct brain and nerve mapping functions of the human body.
