Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum & HMH Award for Excellence Goes to Founder of ‘Kalimati’

Under the Kind Patronage of H.E. Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum, HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings recognised yet another exceptional woman, this time Mrs Bedour Al Raqbani, founder and director of Kalimati Speech and Communication Center.

Presenting the HMH Excellence Award to Mrs Raqbani, Mr Laurent A. Voivenel, CEO, HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings, said: “No words can possibly describe the contribution of this young lady who beat all odds to give to the UAE a dedicated speech and therapy center by forming Kalimati. And in doing so not only did she create an institution to help mothers, like herself, overcome their children’s disability but raised awareness for the need to have such a center. Hers is an incredible story that is bound to strike a chord with every heart. We feel honoured to recognize this special woman who is helping countless children to lead fuller lives despite their speech disorders”.

Kalimati means “my words” in Arabic and was born out of Mrs Raqbani’s desperate need for a similar facility in the emirates when she realized that her daughter was born with a profound hearing disability and therefore was unable to speak. In vain, she tried to search for a center that could provide her the necessary therapy in order for her child to communicate. However, at that time, there was nothing existing in the UAE that matched her needs.

Receiving the trophy Mrs Raqbani said, “What do you do if your child was born deaf? I wanted my baby and all others with similar challenges to communicate with the world. So, I decided to set up Kalimati, a non-profit organization, that was established to fulfill a growing demand for speech therapy services in the UAE. It was founded on love and hope. We believe that each child is special and our aim is to help him / her reach his / her full potential. Our therapists work as a team liaising with parents, teachers and medical professionals to provide quality adolescent therapy services. I am truly grateful to H.E. Sheikha Wafa Hasher Al Maktoum and HMH – Hospitality Management Holdings for this amazing encouragement. It is indeed through people’s appreciation of our mission here at Kalimati that keeps us motivated to strive for the best”.

HMH Award for Excellence celebrates women who are an inspiration for others. It is a tribute to exceptional women who are playing an extraordinary role in the UAE society be it in the field of art, literature, culture, sports, environment, healthcare, business, human welfare or public life.

For more information about Kalimati please visit http://www.kalimati.org
For more information about HMH please visit http://www.hmhhotelgroup.com