I don't lose sleep over failures. I worry about the successes and how they can be replicated.

I'm amazed by the misconceptions about Muslim women and the Arab world that I hear, and that really does hurt me.

When you educate a girl, you kick-start a cycle of success. It makes economic sense. It makes social sense. It makes moral sense. But, it seems, it's not common sense yet.

Holy scripture does not hold women back. It's the people that decide to interpret it in such a way for their own, sometimes political, agendas.

I don't know if I'd put labels on myself, but I do feel that when women are empowered, they have the power to transform society.

I work in areas related to child protection and family safety, women's empowerment, the creation of opportunities for youth, and culture and tourism. Daunting? Yes. Impossible? No. In fact, such challenges energize me.

Learning to read and write changes lives; it means jobs, money, health, and dreams fulfilled.