Equity Magazine March 2018

WOMAN LEADER
remarkably. Since the company has a plantation nursery in
Khawaneej, with plenty of trees, plants and tasks, setting
up the employees there was a smart move. “We began
Enable and hired an in-house therapist to make sure they
are protected, and can communicate with everyone else.
All the employees were classmates, so they were familiar
with each other,” she says. Once in the environment, it
was time for them to understand the daily routine, get
comfortable with the previous employees, and learn how
to grasp each situation and task that came their way. “The
initiative came with a good intention; however, it wasn’t
systemised. There’s no shame in saying that. We always
wanted it to work, invested a lot and tried our best.
Thankfully, it just took off from there.”
Now in its twelfth operational year, Enable employs 25
men. While they would like to scale, the process does take
a bit of time – from hiring to training. “Everyone is
individual with their level of capabilities and we require
that. In 2008, we worked with them for two years to
sought out their needs and requirements to make the job
work, performance wise. We kept evaluating the program,
to see what the company really wanted from there. At the
end of the day it is not a charity, it’s a social enterprise and
we do need to see returns, because each employee gets a
monthly salary,” says Reem.
The programme that they created is monitored through
each stage, from potting soil to retail. “The last level is
when they cater to sales, so they are ready with all the
knowledge of the plants, and can communicate with the
clients. Khawaneej is accessible to all residential areas, so
we have walk-in clients and the employees sell from
there,” says Reem. It’s great to see that the enterprise isn’t
just gathering donations. Actually, they don’t accept
donations. Instead, they work with corporate companies
to create giveaways, and retail from the outlet in
Khawaneej, Dubai Garden Centre, Aswaq Umm Suqeim,
and Carrefour Festival City – Reem’s favourite point of
sale as the employees get to connect with buyers from the
dedicated store.
But, why succulents? “The way it came about was
through Pinterest. We felt succulents were perfect because
they are durable and pretty, and caters to people’s lifestyles
- not many people have time to maintain a plant. These
can be watered every two weeks and will still look as
beautiful,” she says with a barrel of laughs. All
arrangements were re-created multiple times with the
employees, so that they understood where each element
needed to be placed. “We saw them changing a few things
after a while, and getting creative with the plants. That was
great and we encouraged it.” A few of the Enable
employees are bilingual (they speak Hindi), and are taken
along to bargain with suppliers for plants, stones and
accessories, since each employee makes 15 per cent
commission from their creation, when sold. We have a big
celebration when there’s a sale, where the employee has
the cheque handed over to him. This motivates the others
to do better the following month.
As we speak of the enterprises’ journey to date, Reem
says, “It’s been a long one, but we have had a few
milestones. This model is now self-sustained. Previously,
we invested in CSR projects but now we converted this
into a financial unit, plus we help these employees with
their future – whether skill wise or financially.” Her main
KPI, however, is to transport all Emirati disabled men into
Enable. Reem understands this is a challenge but is
positive she will reach that stage. “The parents are very
encouraging as they see the growth and transition in their
child.” Currently, Enable only employs men as the
nurseries are quite labour-intensive and male-oriented,
which is a bit of a challenge for Emirati women.
Nonetheless, they are in discussions about a specific
programme for them.
We touch upon the topic of getting through the door and
where UAE stands with regards to awareness of such social
enterprises. “I think the UAE is reinforcing it very strongly,
trying their best to include it wherever possible, with the My
Community initiative. From my perspective, when dealing
with clients and customers they are very much aware. They
understand the needs to include these employees and ways
to empower them, but it’s a work in progress. It’s not
perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction,” she says. They
also partner with numerous corporates for advocacy, and
companies who are aware of participation in the social cause
of inclusion. To keep the concept fun and trendy, they
recently partnered with National Bank of Fujairah to create
a succulent plant truck. “We do engaging pop-ups, live
workshops at government offices and take our truck to
parks and even the Dubai Beach Canteen. Awareness is a
big part of Enable.”
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EQUITY