Latest news with #HussainHaji
Gulf Weekly
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Weekly
Reaching for the stars!
THE World Health Organisation estimates the worldwide prevalence of autism spectrum disorder in children at 1pc, up from 0.62pc in 2012. As we culminate Autism Awareness Month, Melissa Nazareth speaks to some of Bahrain's young heroes who have braved the odds to pursue their dreams amidst the struggles connected with their autistic condition. What started as a hobby has, overtime, evolved into a fulfilling journey for the 33-year-old, giving him the tools to manage his autistic condition. 'Living with autism has its challenges—sensory overload, social situations and sudden changes can be tough but photography has helped me manage those struggles by providing focus, structure and a way to communicate,' he said. The Bahraini shutterbug sets out at least thrice a week to go around capturing the world around him, then reviewing, and editing his photos. 'If I had to choose a muse, it would be the sky especially during sunset. There's something magical about the colours, the stillness and the emotion that comes through in those moments,' he noted. 'I'd love to do my first solo exhibition and maybe even publish a photo book. Most of all, I want to inspire other young people on the spectrum to explore their creative side.' Hussain Haji THE Bahraini creative talent's journey began when he was just three years old. 'I had communication difficulties and drawing was a way to express myself,' the 24-year-old told GulfWeekly. 'I'm inspired by both the natural world and human emotion. My style is impressionistic with abstract touches, often in vibrant colours. I work mainly with painting mediums but have recently started exploring comics and animation,' the artist, who has been attending Comic Con for the last six years and will return to Bahrain International Circuit for the much-awaited event next month, revealed. The Bahrain Polytechnic visual design student, who graduated specialising in web media last year and has exhibited his works at many local showcases, hopes to develop his comic and animation portfolio and publish his own graphic novel. Yousif Hayat The 31-year-old has lived with labels and judgement for most of his life. At school, he was 'naughty' and 'disobedient', but this didn't stop the creative talent, who was diagnosed with severe Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder at the age of six and autism in 2010. His parents never gave up on him and his father, a cameraman, who noticed his interest in cameras, enrolled him in a photography course. 'Yousif has been a volunteer photographer with Bahrain Mobility International Centre for the last seven years,' mum Shahida said, adding that he has won several awards for his work. The creative talent from Riffa is also a Kung Fu junior green belt holder, displaying interest and skill in diverse fields from social media to football. He has completed a series of educational courses spanning English language and computers. Ahsan Zulfiqar AHSAN has explored different areas, including music, pottery and sport but, overtime, realised that art and computers are his forte. 'My mother and teachers noticed that I had a talent for copying artwork accurately. So they encouraged me to develop it further and consider it as a career,' the 27-year-old, who lives with his parents in Aali, said. 'I paint landscapes, portraits, and even calligraphy. I take classes to improve my art techniques and have also completed some computer courses that helped me get opportunities to work in human resources at various organisations,' the Pakistani national added. The artist, who is part of Shahzaib's Club House, a local community of differently abled people, has sold paintings and wants to learn baking as part of his goals for this year. He records his journey @ahsanzulfiqar2016 on Instagram.
Biz Bahrain
27-01-2025
- Business
- Biz Bahrain
StartUp Bahrain and Brinc sign a strategic partnership to accelerate innovation in Bahrain's startup ecosystem
StartUp Bahrain, the leading platform for startups in the Kingdom of Bahrain, supported by the Labour Fund (Tamkeen), has signed a strategic partnership with Brinc, a global venture accelerator with a proven track record in scaling innovative startups, that is at the frontier of fostering entrepreneurial growth and driving technological advancement in the region, starting with Bahrain. While StartUp Bahrain aims to promote entrepreneurship by providing startups with a supportive ecosystem, access to resources, and opportunities for growth, Brinc brings its extensive expertise in accelerating startups across various sectors. Through their comprehensive acceleration programs and investment initiatives, Brinc has successfully supported numerous startups in their journey from early-stage concepts to market-ready businesses. This strategic partnership will provide startups in the Kingdom and the broader MENA region with access to Brinc's world-class acceleration programs and global network of mentors and industry experts. The collaboration aims to strengthen the local startup ecosystem by providing founders with the tools, funding, and connections needed to scale their businesses globally. 'Partnering with StartUp Bahrain represents a new, significant step in our commitment to fostering innovation in Bahrain,' stated Hussain Haji, Regional Head of Corporate Innovation. 'By combining our global acceleration expertise with StartUp Bahrain's local ecosystem knowledge, we aim to create a powerful platform for startups to scale and succeed regionally, and then, internationally.' 'This partnership with Brinc marks an exciting new chapter for the local startup ecosystem,' remarked Maryam Malik, Project Manager at StartUp Bahrain. 'With Brinc, we hope to provide local startups with more opportunities and access to global markets, reinforcing Bahrain's position as a leading innovation hub in the region.' StartUp Bahrain and Brinc are committed to driving innovation and supporting Bahraini startups in achieving global success. For more information about upcoming initiatives and acceleration programs, visit StartUp Bahrain and Brinc's websites.
