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Philadelphia salutes most inspiring women in GCC

DUBAI - Spread Some Inspiration with Philadelphia, the campaign to honour and celebrate the GCC’s most inspiring women, had a jubilant finale event in conjunction with International Women’s Day at a Brunch held at the prestigious Emirates Golf Club, Royal Majlis in Dubai. Ms Maria Conceicao from UAE was announced as Philadelphia’s Most Inspiring Woman of the Year 2012 for her extraordinary contributions to her community.

She received the prize money of $10,000 from Philadelphia Cream Cheese, which she has pledged to support her cause further.

Maria is the founder of The Dhaka Project and the Maria Christina Foundation. The Dhaka project was started in 2005 to raise funds for slum communities in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Seven years on, the foundation has successfully provided free education to over 700 slum children and their families and continues to do so. The Maria Christina Foundation aims to unlock and maximise human potential in developing countries and is involved in several current and planned projects including the MC Foundation Recruitment Institute, MC Foundation Community project, MC Foundation School to School projects and MC Foundation Community Health Programme.

First Runner up Reem Shaath, and Second Runner Up, Suad al Furaih were also both rewarded with $5,000 each to support their respective philanthropy efforts.

Reem Shaath is a dynamic entrepreneur, avid traveller and mountaineer — with a difference. She scales heights to spread the message of cope and compassion. She was part of a 12 member troupe that took up the challenge to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa to raise money for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund. They managed to raise $570,000.

Suad al Furaih is the first Arab woman to spread awareness about celiac disease. She is the author of ‘My Life with Celiac’, which is an encapsulation of her experience.