The wonderful women of this nation deserve to be celebrated every single day, but today in particular, the festivities are ~slightly~ more official. Collaboration is the theme of this year’s Emirati Women’s Day which falls on August 28, 2023.
To honour all the Cosmo ladies of our nation, we’ve decided to take the nostalgic route of “collaborating with the Emirati girl within.” When female Emirati entrepreneurs hold onto their inner child, they’re reminded why they love what they do in the first place. Their renewed wonder, passion, and awe leads to more entrepreneurial success in adulthood.
Via @z4kiaa on Instagram
So, we invited Zakia, an accomplished Emirati entrepreneur and a dear collaborator of Cosmo ME, to one of the most nostalgic spots in town in the artistic Alserkal Avenue. Immortalizing signature foods enjoyed by Emirati youth, notsoguilty artfully incorporates Chips Oman, Laban Up, and other nostalgic staples into their delicious recipes.
Via @z4kiaa on Instagram
The 23-year-old Benefit ME ambassador discussed the childlike culinary creativity that gave life to Local Foundry, a soon-to-open business that she co-owns with her best friend.
Cosmo ME x Zakia’s exclusive Emirati Women’s Day interview…
Cosmo ME: If you could go back in time and tell your younger self one thing, what would it be?
Zakia: If I could go back to baby Zakia, I would tell her that everything is going to be okay, that she’s going to achieve all the dreams she keeps writing about in her diary. I’d tell her that I’m going to create the business that I want, open the café I’ve been dreaming about, become the successful makeup artist that I’ve always dreamed of becoming I think I would hug here and tell her, “All your dreams are coming true; don’t worry, everything is going according to plan.”
Cosmo ME: How would your younger self react to the successful woman you are today?
Zakia: She would literally cry because I never thought I would achieve this much at this age, especially since I’ve been through so much, and I never believed that I’d actually achieve the things that I wanted. I thought they were just dreams and pictures that I’ve kept in my moodboard for the past 3 to 4 years. So, I feel like she would cry, but she would also be very very proud and happy that I’m making all her dreams come true. And I’m really happy that I’m doing that.
Cosmo ME: What childlike quality do you aspire to have more of today?
Zakia: I would say that I want be fearless, but I already am. So I would say… I want to be straightforward, as creative and playful as I can. I don’t want to be scared of things that I shouldn’t be scared of. Basically, literally like a child. I want to do everything that I can as much as I can, and I want to have as much fun as I can. No matter how old I am, I always want to be the fun person that I was as a kid. I never want to grow up.
Cosmo ME: Could you tell us more about your new business Local Foundry, set to open on September 15, 2023?
Zakia: My business is called Local foundry, and I’m running it with my best friend Mira. Local Foundry was created by local women for local women. It’s an ever-changing concept that can be compared to a Kinder Surprise egg: Every single time, Local Foundry will offer a different product or a different experience. I seek to bring different experiences to different people so that the concept is fun, spontaneous, and unique, as opposed to your everyday cafe that you go to sit at. I’ll leave that to other people, but as I mentioned, I’d like to do something that’s so much more fun. Right now with Local Foundry, I’m focusing on making things that not everybody knows but that I grew up eating. For instance, I grew up eating mille-feuille (a French dessert), and I wanted to make it in my own unique way. So, I added Kiri cheese to the whipped cream between them layers because I grew up eating Kiri cheese. For example, Mira loves tartines, so she made a tartine with sour cream since she grew up eating sour cream. That’s the vision, and it’s slowly coming to fruition. I’m so so so excited for you to experience Local Foundry on September 15.
Cosmo ME: What would you say to all the people who told you that you couldn’t accomplish your goals as a woman?
Zakia: Growing up and even to this day, people have constantly told me, “You’re a woman, so you cant do things. What’s the most you can do?” But here I am. I own Local Foundry with my best friend who’s also a woman, I represent Benefit ME, and I’ve been doing content for the past 2 years. There are so many other amazing things that I’m working on, and I can’t wait to share them with you guys. Don’t let anyone tell you that you cant do anything, or that there’s something specific that you cannot do. You can do anything if you want to.
Cosmo ME: How has the modern digital age benefited young Emirati entrepreneurs and enhanced their collaboration?
Zakia: I feel like nowadays, Emirati entrepreneurs see each other. We know each other, and it’s become more fun, more accessible. I met my best friend on social media, and I know who she is because of the way that she represents herself. And because of the digital age, everything is so easy. The UAE is represented in a better way, especially to the outside world. People outside the UAE can see who we truly are. We’re so much more than just “Dubai” the name. We are capable people, we work on ourselves, we have the best of the best. I believe we’re the best country in the world, that we do the best things in the best way possible. Even when I travel, I tell myself “Oh my God, I can’t wait to go home because nothing feels comparable to the quality here; nothing feels like home.” Everything is done in the best way possible. And I’m so glad that social media is far better than in used to be because we can see the progress we’ve done, and people outside the UAE can see that too.
Cosmo ME: What’s one lesson you learned as a little girl that made you the successful entrepreneur you are today?
Zakia: I would say that I was taught to be fearless. An an Emirati woman, I was taught to be fearless, to believe that nothing is impossible. “Everything is possible” is a phrase that I grew up hearing. Nothing is impossible; there’s nothing such thing as the word impossible. Anything I want, I can achieve, as long as I want to do it. And I was taught to be grateful for everything that I have, to not take everything for granted, and to work hard to get the things that I want. So far, I’m very very very grateful for everything that this journey of 23 years has taught me, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
Cosmo ME: Tell us a bit more about your soon-to-launch business, Local Foundry…
Zakia: Like I said, the Local Foundry is a new experience each time. So each time, we’ll be hosting an Emirati woman in order for her to making a specialty of hers as our concept. For instance, our first pop-up plans to sell cookies crafted by our third business partner’s daughter. For our second pop-up, we’re planning on bringing an Emirati woman to make pasta or matcha, or whatever it may be. Every time, it’s a different experience offered exclusively by Emirati women, so we can showcase our talents to the world. Inshallah, we’re planning on expanding globally – but for now, we want to show our people what we can do, what we are capable of. I feel like because it’s for local ladies by local ladies, Local Foundry is a very unique concept that we haven’t seen yet. And we’re doing it in a very modern way, like I don’t see a café serving tartines and mille-feuilles; I’ve only eaten that in France and Italy for instance. I keep saying I’m so excited because I really am *sooo* excited. I’m really really excited to share this with the world, and I can’t wait for you to see it.
Cosmo ME: To you, how important is collaborating with other Emirati women/entrepreneurs?
Zakia: Even when my idea was just a concept in my imagination, I always wanted to work with my people if that makes sense. I always wanted to work with someone that feels like a sister to me, someone that would understand my values and my vision because at the end of the day, it’s by us for us. And it’s very important for me, it’s really really really important because if I don’t do it, and she doesn’t do it, then no one’s going to do it. No one’s going to break the cycle, if that makes sense.
Cosmo ME: What’s your favourite Emirati dish?
Zakia: If I could eat one Emirati dish, it has to be Balaleet. For breakfast, lunch *and* dinner – I don’t mind, it’s my favourite dish of all time. I could eat it during Eid, in Ramadan, and even in Ramadan people look at me like, “Who has Balaleet for iftar?” Me. I like Balaleet so much; you guys *have* to try it.
Cosmo ME: What are some of your favourite female-owned, Emirati businesses?
Zakia: Some of the female-owned Emirati business that I love are…The Statement Piece by my friend Sara. She creates amazing, affordable, and very lightweight abayas – and she’s also creating an amazing for collection for the winter. Another female-owned Emirati business that I love is a café called Trio, I think. They serve some of *the best* matchas you’ll ever try. I also love a new concept called Butter Man – it’s gong to drop soon. I was very lucky to experience the behind-the-scenes and try their cookies before everyone else (which were amazing). And one more business provider is a place called Wardrobe Exhibitions which assembles a bunch of affordable and accessible Emirati businesses in one place. It’s like a pop-up idea, and I really like it because younger me could not afford what I have now. So to make things and ready-to-have for everyone is an amazing thing. I salute all of these amazing women.