#7. Fatima Al Mansoori: Humanitarian, Influencer - Transforming Public Health in the Middle East & Beyond

Join me for a conversation with Fatima Al Mansoori from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, as she describes her work, first as a yoga therapist and later as the founder of Sustainable Humanitarian Development (SHD).  Along with a professional team, SHD is committed to supporting refugees and survivors of natural disasters with mindfulness and holistic health practices.  A well-known influencer in her home country of Bahrain, she felt compelled to help others after the death of her mother from cancer.  By allowing herself to be of service, to experience and see first-hand the grief and pain of others, she was able to transform her grief into gratitude for all the experiences life had offered her.  Fatima’s career morphed from graphic design to yoga therapist as a result of her health diagnosis of fibromyalgia, what she has described as “a disease without a cure.”  She turned to yoga, Ayurveda and yoga therapy to address her illness.  Not satisfied with merely taking courses or turning to online resources for self-healing, she decided to travel to India to immerse herself in these ancient traditions.  Already an influencer with a large following in Bahrain, she started to share her own health recovery and immediately received many requests to share her experience and eventually to design programs incorporating what she learned.  She later added Macrobiotics to her Ayurvedic toolkit and began incorporating tools from these dual wisdom traditions to promote healing.  During the last two years, she has committed her time to a project intended to introduce mindfulness in the schools, collaborating with a team of experts including James White, founder of Mindfulness Schools Ireland, in order to give the project a more global reach.  The project was intended to be scientifically-based and measurements were set to occur pertaining to immunity and cognition.  The project has been temporarily paused due to the pandemic.  Since the pandemic, Fatima has created programs to support front-line healthcare workers in Bahrain which incorporate breathing, concentration, mindfulness, and movement.  A Covid bride, Fatima has viewed this time as one to retreat and pause, to integrate the last five years of her life, which she has described as one whirlwind after another.  She has resumed her interest in video games and indicates that she does think that games have merit (the right game of course, not of the addictive variety) and that there is a direct correlation between video games and mindfulness practice.  She is currently working with the city of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, on developing mindfulness programs for government employees and an App may also enter the mix.  This is an interview not to be missed.  Thank you, Fatimah!Links:Instagram:  @fatima.al.mansooriWebsite: https://www.fatimaalmansoori.com/ I would love it if you would follow, rate, or write a review for my podcast.  What you think matters and I appreciate all feedback!Get in touch with topic ideas relating to my podcast's categories:The meaning of health and well-being, personal and collective consciousness, and maximizing full human potential.  My email:  [email protected] sincere gratitude, Noreen