35 WOTYA 2025 womanthismonth.com | JANUARY 2026 Winner of the Woman in Education category at the Woman of the Year Awards 2025, Juwaireya Alshomili is a primary school teacher, cancer survivor and dedicated advocate whose work spans education, health awareness and youth empowerment. She serves as Ambassador for Children with Cancer in the Middle East and Youth Ambassador for Sustainable Development, is the Founder of the Cancer Warriors Club, and is a recipient of the Medal of Competence awarded by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Through awareness programmes, workshops and published work, she continues to champion resilience, compassion and hope. What was a moment during the ceremony that felt most meaningful to you? The most meaningful moment for me was the anticipation of hearing my name announced as the winner. The atmosphere was filled with excitement, and when my name was finally called, my eyes welled up with tears. It was the moment I had been waiting for. Hearing my introduction read aloud afterwards made the experience even more emotional and truly unforgettable. Were there any reactions from family, team, or community that surprised you? My sisters and cousin were by my side, with cameras focused on me and members of the audience wishing me well. I felt an overwhelming sense of nervousness, afraid I might miss hearing my name. When it was announced, my sisters broke down in tears of joy, and I cried with them. Their pride and happiness gave me a profound sense of accomplishment. The audience’s warm applause and the care with which they listened to my acceptance speech meant everything to me. After leaving the stage, people from all walks of life approached me to share how deeply my story had touched them. One moment I will never forget was when someone said, “If I were to tell my daughter who she should look up to as a role model, it would be you.” How has winning informed your priorities or plans since the awards night? Winning this award has strengthened my commitment to maintaining high creative and educational standards, while continuing to grow and evolve. It has motivated me to work even harder towards achieving greater milestones in the future. How will you use the prize, platform, or network that came with this award? This award introduced me to many inspiring individuals and added tremendous value to my journey. It has become a powerful source of motivation, encouraging me to move forward with purpose and to contribute meaningfully to future initiatives that support awareness, education and community wellbeing. What concrete next steps or milestones are you committing to in the next 12 months? Over the next year, I aim to excel further in my professional work as an educator while expanding my volunteer efforts.I am committed to strengthening community partnerships, spreading awareness and helping to build a conscious, educated and empowered future. What is one piece of advice you would give to young women looking up to you now that you have won? Everyone faces obstacles in life, but challenges should never bring your journey to a halt. Instead, let them become the steps that lift you higher and guide you towards strength, purpose and growth.
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