A purposeful career,
built on expertise.

When I learned about Al-Ayn's Luminous Stars Centres and how giving to orphaned children and their families are meticulously crafted into a positive experience through its in-kind malls, I knew I had to be part of this organisation.

Making the switch from working in corporate finance to the charity sector felt like a leap into the unknown, and I'll admit I was initially apprehensive about the change. How would I fit in with the team, how is the pay, is the work dynamic and challenging to further my personal development?

However, this hesitation quickly faded and has been completely outweighed by the transformational feeling of knowing that my work directly empowers some of the most vulnerable around the world.

At Al-Ayn, you're truly able to leave your mark on things – a rare and great opportunity that has made this journey incredibly rewarding. It's a move I'm honoured I made, and I'm grateful to Allah (SWT) for allowing me to be in this position for as long as I can.

Having qualified as a solicitor some years ago, I worked in the legal field at various firms, eventually becoming a partner and heading up a department at my last firm. Joining Al-Ayn was a leap of faith, but I was ready to try something different – something more meaningful and rewarding. My role here has proven to be just that, and it is a privilege to work on legal documentation that makes a difference to the lives of our beneficiaries and helps ensure our organisation continues to be fully transparent and driven by quality standards.

With over 35 years of experience across different industries in the corporate world, I’ve had the privilege of working with very powerful leaders. Throughout my career, success was often measured in performance and results that primarily benefited the organisations and myself – but here at Al-Ayn, I’ve seen a different kind of power: leaders whose influence transforms lives and gives orphans hope and opportunity. The environment and team are truly special; it has humbled me and taught me lessons I never encountered in my entire career. Supporting my colleagues as we grow together is deeply rewarding, because when our team thrives, the children we serve benefit even more. These past three years have shown me that experience is most meaningful when it’s shared – and giving back in this way has been profoundly fulfilling.

I qualified as a Dentist over a decade ago, but had always been interested in the third sector. My journey with Al-Ayn started as a volunteer, speaking about the organisation’s work on stalls and in community centres to raise awareness of the important work the organisation was doing in supporting orphaned children.

Soon after, I visited the organisation’s office in Iraq, and saw the impact of the work first hand. I became more motivated to dedicate regular time and effort for the organisation.

A few years later, I took on a paid position with the organisation and have dedicated more time to actualising its vision of empowering orphaned children living in poverty. I was able to undertake additional training to ensure that my passion for its work was complemented with additional recognised qualifications, including the completion of a master’s degree.

Dedicating time and effort to contribute to the betterment of the lives of impoverished children gives me a sense of purpose and satisfaction I could not find elsewhere, and I hope to be able to continue in this service.