Leadership

Raheema Adam

Country President, Maldives

Raheema Adam, Founder of the Association of Lady Entrepreneurs (ALE) in the Maldives and a mentor at the Cheri Blair Foundation for women has dedicated her work for the economic empowerment of women both nationally and globally. Her work is aimed at making an impact in the lives of SME female business owners. Her work in this area was acclaimed at national level when she received the most prestigious award given by the president of the Maldives in 2016, the National Award for ‘Women Rights and Progress’.

Ms. Raheema started her business in the tourism sector in 1997 and successfully operated two guest houses for 17 years. Simultaneously she also worked with the civil society since 2004 starting from the Maldives National Chamber of Commerce and Industries. Since then she has held the post of Business Council Member, and SME Council Member, Ministry of Economic Development, Executive Board member SAARC Women Entrepreneurs Council, Board Member of the Council for Economic Empowerment of Women (CEEW) Ministry of Gender & Family. Diversifying her works Ms. Raheema also operated and owned a printing outlet for 11 years. At present Ms. Raheema represents some of the governmental and private committees and is a Director of Business Enterprise and Employment Support for women in South Asia.

She has attended business conclaves and fairs in different countries and has completed different programs from business including strategic planning and implementation of Associations and completed Germany’s “Winter School” (program for entrepreneurship development). She has also completed the training of trainer’s certification in National Institute of Small and Medium Enterprises, Hyderabad, India and has continuously trained working women for entrepreneurship development.

She also received an award for Excellence in Entrepreneurship in the SAARC Region in 2006, which was given by the Sri Lankan Women’s Chamber of Commerce and industries for the SAARC region. And in 2017 she received the MAWE Leadership Award, SWEEP 2017, Madhya Pradesh Association of Women Entrepreneurs, Jabalpur, India.

Ms. Raheema has a Masters degree in Business Administration from Anglia Ruskin University, UK and a Professional Diploma in International Business from the London School of Commerce.

With her love for the ocean and sports she is a professional swimming instructor and a coach. She is a certified Emergency first responder of PADI and a certified Beach Water Polo Instructor and Coach as well, Ms. Raheema believes that ‘there is no work a woman cannot do’.