Women Entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa: - CAWTAR

The Characteristics, Contributions and Challenges
of Women Business Owners in Five MENA Countries
32
Hazar Mirabi Salam,
Lebanon
engineering services
“If there is no work available,
invent it...”
Hazar Mirabi Salam is a Lebanese
businesswoman in her mid-fifties who runs a
private company providing engineering services.
She has managed to forge ahead in the world of
business by carrying out projects both in and
outside of Lebanon.
Hazar is the sixth daughter in her family. She was
born in northern Lebanon, “reared alone”, as she
says. Her father died when she was young and her
mother found herself solely responsible for the
family and for the business management. And, as
her family was involved politically in the country,
their home was considered as one of the homes in
the area of "Akar" which by tradition should
always be open to people. Her mother had to
devote herself to the management of her
properties which required the assistance of her
sons given that she was a woman working in a
conservative society.
Hazar's design talents were discovered by Sisters
entrusted with the management of a school that
belonged to them in the city of Tripoli. They were
granting a special attention to art, embroidery and
music. Hazar started to become aware of her
artistic capabilities which went beyond artistic
creation to the design and implementation of
prestigious engineering projects. “I took part in a
student movement aimed at exerting pressure so
that the state would open a branch of the College
of Fine Arts at the Lebanese University in Tripoli.
The move succeeded and led to the creation of
this College, which I joined. I was highly
committed to work, openness and noble causes, as
Women Entrepreneurs in the Middle East and North Africa:
Characteristics, Contributions and Challenges
I have learned so much from my mother and was
deeply influenced by her.” She ended up obtaining
an engineering degree with a high distinction.
She entered the world of business as soon as she
graduated and worked with some of her professors.
“As I highly value freedom and autonomy, I
decided to open my own office. I was 27 when I
created my own office with some of my colleagues.
At the beginning I started to work alone, assisted by
only one person in the workshop”. She produced at
that time some distinctive work until she decided to
get married and have children. “My stability at
home helped me to enhance my devotion and
commitment to work; so I went on working from
home with the assistance of women engineers who
helped me design maps and carry them out.”
During the war, she resumed work outside her home
and started supervising a team of three women
engineers to carry out her operations. "I always
preferred working with young women because they
are more committed and accurate in addition to
being more resolute to remain in Lebanon; this is as
opposed to young men who, most of them, have this
temptation to emigrate.”
The first project was designed and carried out in her
native city of Tripoli, where she designed the
premises of the Middle East Airlines. Afterwards,
she designed four restaurants in Beirut airport. After
succeeding in submitting the best offer for the
design, she was denied the work because the
general director at that time did not want a woman
to carry out such project. She believes, however,
that there is no difference between men and women
in terms of intelligence and the ability to innovate
and succeed in the world of business. Hazar advises
women that "if there is no work available for them,
to invent it as a gateway to social, emotional and
economic safety and a means to build up the
personality and highlight the potential.”
By Roula Mickael, @NGED Member, Lebanon