Annual Report 2025

Ruba doesn’t shy away from challenges. For years, she’s worked in the construction industry, a sector where women remain underrepresented and where being seen does not always mean being heard.

When Ruba wound down her previous 3D printing business, she believed her entrepreneurial journey had come to an end. But after spotting a gap in the market for smart corrosion monitoring systems, she and her co-founder saw an opportunity they could not ignore.

In 2023, they launched Pulse IoT Technologies (Pulse), a startup that develops smart corrosion monitoring systems for buildings and infrastructure.

Despite the challenges of building a business, Ruba was motivated by more than commercial success. She wanted to create a workplace, “where everyone is included, where everyone is welcome.” That ambition became a driving force behind Pulse.

As the business grew, Ruba joined Standard Chartered Foundation’s Women in Tech Accelerator programme in the UAE, connecting with fellow women entrepreneurs at a pivotal point in her journey.

“What I loved about Women in Tech was that it focused on both technology and women,” she said.

One of the programme’s biggest benefits was the network she built. Alongside practical support in refining her pitch, Ruba gained access to a community of female founders and developed a lasting relationship with Standard Chartered Foundation.

Today, Ruba remains one of a small number of women making their mark in the UAE’s construction sector. Her business has created jobs across the region and generated hundreds of thousands in profits.

The programme’s emphasis on female empowerment also reinforced a principle that guides her approach to business: putting people first.

“One thing I learned is to focus on where you add value to others, rather than just selling your product,” she says.

That philosophy extends to how she builds her team.

“We add value by tapping into overlooked and untapped talent. It creates opportunities for others and strengthens our business at the same time.”

Hannah has lived with a disability that affects the use of her hands. Like many people living with disabilities, she struggled to access the opportunities and work experience needed to secure employment.

In 2025, Hannah enrolled in the RISE/E programme, led by Sightsavers in Kenya. The initiative works with employers in Kenya, Pakistan, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia to promote disability inclusion and create more accessible pathways into work.

The programme empowered Hannah to believe that she could overcome the obstacles that had held her back. 

“The experience was life-changing. I was able to go for interviews that I wouldn’t have gone for before the programme,” she said.

Through RISE/E, Hannah received mentoring and professional skills training that helped replace self-doubt with confidence. For the first time, she began to see her disability not as a limitation, but as a strength she could bring to the workplace.

After completing the programme, Hannah secured an internship with the commercial team at East African Breweries, gaining valuable professional experience and strengthening her CV.

The experience helped her take the next step in her career, securing a customer care executive role at Safaricom, Kenya’s largest telecommunications provider.

For Wilson, driving systems change is more than a goal. It’s what motivates him every day. In 2025, he took centre stage at the United Nations General Assembly to champion disability inclusion and inclusive employment.

But his journey to becoming an advocate and leader began much closer to home.

In 2022, Wilson joined Standard Chartered Foundation’s Sightsavers programme in Kenya. Designed to help young people with and without disabilities build the skills needed to secure meaningful employment, the programme helped Wilson realise that leadership and advocacy were his true calling.

“It was the catalyst that unlocked my potential. It gave me the skills, exposure and confidence to make a difference,” he said.

After completing the programme, Wilson joined Kenya’s National Council for Persons with Disabilities as an intern. His determination and discipline soon led him to a new role as a Disability Inclusion Facilitator with Light for the World.

Today, Wilson leads disability awareness sessions, conducts accessibility audits and works with employers to embed more inclusive hiring and training practices.

His rise as a leader continued in 2024 when he was appointed to the European Union’s Youth Sounding Board in Kenya, where he helps ensure young people’s voices are reflected in decision-making processes.

Throughout his career, Wilson has been a champion for under-represented groups, particularly young people with disabilities. 

His story demonstrates what is possible when talent is recognised, barriers are removed and people are given the opportunity to realise their potential.