An organisation in Abu Dhabi is on a mission to empower people with disabilities and help them to advance in the workplace.
The Butterfly, an advocacy group, is helping to answer the call of disabled people eager to bolster their independence. The group also wants to ensure that businesses are ready to deliver on pledges to be inclusive.
Marilena di Coste, who founded the group, said it was vital for companies to adopt an open-minded approach to integrate staff members of all backgrounds.
The Butterfly recently launched its Inclusive Employment Ecosystem to achieve this goal, with leading companies backing the project.
“Almost every week I get a call from a parent or a person of determination asking for help in finding work," Ms di Coste said.
My dream is to see a beautiful movement where we can all work together
Marilena di Coste
"It isn’t enough for companies to say that they are inclusive. We want them to walk the talk. We give them a road map to follow and measure outcomes. We also have tailored solutions.
Working together for shared vision
“Every company tries to do its best on its own, which is great, but we think more good can happen if everyone can join forces — to join forces not only at a corporate level but to foster a dialogue with the public sector as well.
“We are trying to connect the private sector, the public sector and the authorities together because if we come across something that requires a legislative change, then it can be done quickly.
"It doesn’t have to be fragmented. My dream is to see a beautiful movement where we can all work together to care for people of determination.”
The Butterfly charges an an annual leadership fee and every month holds online seminars and discussions to support employers in catering for disabled workers.
Their first members were major employers Siemens Energy, e& and Standard Chartered.
Ms di Coste has witnessed the progress made in promoting the rights of people of determination in recent years.
She moved to the Emirates in 2011, determined to support people with disabilities.
She hit some bumps in the road initially, before making a significant breakthrough in 2019.
“All I can say, is that the market wasn’t ready but I was determined and I persisted,” she said.
The Butterfly won key funding in 2019 from a social incubator programme operated by Maan, the Authority of Social Contribution.
This was established by the Department of Community Development in Abu Dhabi to encourage the development of concepts and start-up projects that help people with disabilities tackle the issues they face in their communities.
“I chose the term 'butterfly' because when it flaps its wings at one part of the world, it creates a ripple in another part of the world,” Ms di Coste said.
The Butterfly is a “one-stop shop” for people of determination and their families, she said.
The group offers guidance to people and companies on the best ways to support and include people of determination.
“Say you have a child who was involved in a car crash and had sustained a brain injury and you don’t know what to do. We can support you and guide you, instead of going left and right,' she said.
It also supports parents by helping them with school applications.
“We will give you a list of inclusive schools and if you are rejected then we will go with you,” she said.
“We add voice to people who are vulnerable and are the link between them and the authorities.”
There are 180 families registered with The Butterfly. The children of about 80 per cent of them have autism.
In April 2021, the Cabinet approved the National Policy for People with Autism, in line with wider efforts to support people with disabilities.
The policy set out ways to provide people with autism with easy access to services, to ensure their inclusion in education and wider society, and to train more qualified professionals while bolstering community awareness.
The policy comprises 14 initiatives across five pillars — diagnosis, health care, human resources, inclusive education, and community awareness and empowerment.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, said the emirate was focused on delivering the “highest quality of services” to people with disabilities after visiting the Dubai Autism Centre in March.
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
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How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
Sour%20Grapes
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Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sept 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m
Winner: Shafaf, Sam Hitchcott (jockey), Ahmed Al Mehairbi (trainer)
5,30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,200m
Winner: Noof KB, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: The President’s Cup Listed (TB) Dh380,000 1,400m
Winner: Taamol, Jim Crowley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
6.30pm: The President’s Cup Group One (PA) Dh2,500,000 2,200m
Winner: Rmmas, Tadhg O’Shea, Jean de Roualle
7pm: Arabian Triple Crown Listed (PA) Dh230,000 1,600m
Winner: Ihtesham, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Mekhbat, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
T20 SQUADS
Australia: Aaron Finch (c), Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitchell Starc, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa.
Pakistan: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Fakhar Zaman, Mohammad Hafeez, Sahibzada Farhan, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Asif Ali, Hussain Talat, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan Shinwari, Hassan Ali, Imad Wasim, Waqas Maqsood, Faheem Ashraf.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs: 2018 Audi Q5/SQ5
Price, base: Dh183,900 / Dh249,000
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder / 3.0L, turbocharged V6
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic / Eight-speed automatic
Power: 252hp @ 5,000rpm / 354hp @ 5,400rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,600rpm / 500Nm @ 1,370rpm
Fuel economy: combined 7.2L / 100km / 8.3L / 100km
Employment lawyer Meriel Schindler of Withers Worldwide shares her tips on achieving equal pay
Do your homework
Make sure that you are being offered a fair salary. There is lots of industry data available, and you can always talk to people who have come out of the organisation. Where I see people coming a cropper is where they haven’t done their homework.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate
It’s quite standard to negotiate if you think an offer is on the low side. The job is unlikely to be withdrawn if you ask for money, and if that did happen I’d question whether you want to work for an employer who is so hypersensitive.
Know your worth
Women tend to be a bit more reticent to talk about their achievements. In my experience they need to have more confidence in their own abilities – men will big up what they’ve done to get a pay rise, and to compete women need to turn up the volume.
Work together
If you suspect men in your organisation are being paid more, look your boss in the eye and say, “I want you to assure me that I’m paid equivalent to my peers”. If you’re not getting a straight answer, talk to your peer group and consider taking direct action to fix inequality.
