Bold move: Amal founded the Emirates Autism Centre in 2007 bringing with her over 25 year’s experience in dealing with the condition, as a mother to her autistic son, Amr. “I was told autism would not allow my son to receive an education and that his condition essentially meant mourning all the hopes and dreams I had for my little boy.” But, unwilling to limit her son’s future, Amal set about realising her son’s true potential and in 2001, Amr was the first autistic child in the UAE to be integrated into a mainstream high school.

Work ethic: Amal has worked tirelessly on behalf of families with autism for over two decades. Her proudest moment? “The day my son Amr became the first autistic in the country to be integrated in a school. It was a testament to years of hard work with Amr. This also opened doors for thousands of children with autism to receive a typical education and follow in his footsteps towards growth and independence.”

Future goals: “My vision for the Emirates Autism Centre is to be one of the world leaders in boosting the quality of life for individuals with autism and their families. My vision for my wonderful students is for them to fulfil their true potential and achieve the maximum level of independence possible. You see, the hardest thing about having a child with autism is that the parents won’t live forever. As a mother to an autistic child myself, I work relentlessly to prepare all my students, my son included, for a life that won’t always include me in it.”

Be inspired: “Every milestone I achieve with every single child drives my passion and motivates me to raise the benchmark for them and myself every year. Every child is a journey.”

**Amal Galal Sabry says: “No matter if they voted for me or any other person, everyone is an idol and I’m proud to be on of those idols.”