Ounsi El Daif
Ounsi El Daif is originally a physicist who studied in France and Switzerland, he got his Ph.D. in 2007 from the Ecole Polytechnique F￩d￩rale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland). Until 2015 he was a researcher in the field of solar photovoltaic energy in world-class scientific labs. Since 2015, he is a serial social entrepreneur, having founded Eedama Advisors, and cofounded Jibal NGO for environmental justice, Alternative Beirut Social enterprise, as well as agroecology-related projects and startups. He has been doing startup mentoring and coaching for the past 5 years in the frame of Eedama for varied institutions such as The Science and Innovation Park in Al Ain (UAE University), Berytech (Beirut), Beyond group (Beirut), StartAD (NY University in Abu Dhabi), the Lebanese League for Women in Business and others. He develops educational and training content for the various organisations he works with.
Dr Frédéric Dross
Working in the private photovoltaic energy sector in California, he is the author of 5 patents and 80+ peer-reviewed publications and is a regular reviewer of specialist scientific journals and is in the program committee of 2 major international PV conferences.
He is also an occasional lecturer at University of Versailles Saint-Quentin (Paris, France), Supelec ParisTech (Paris, France) and the KUL (Leuven, Belgium) and has been invited to deliver plenary and keynote speeches at 2 of the 3 main global photovoltaics conferences. Over the past years, Dr. Frederic has been developing broad audience interventions for L’Héliopole and later Eedama that include an unexpected “dialogue with someone skeptical about solar energy” where he gives the pros and cons of solar and renewable energies! On the side, he is the extended arm to the successful founding and managing of Eedama and has assisted other companies investing in solar photovoltaic energy and acted as the certified qualifier their newly installed panels.
Moustafa Fahs
Project Manager bringing eight years of experience in Europe and the Middle East in project management, strategy, and communication across various industries: sustainability and climate change, financial industry, and entrepreneurship, in both public and private sectors, among others. Moustafa has successfully founded Alternative Beirut in 2017 and Alternative Lebanon in 2023, both successful social ventures in the complex Lebanese landscape. Being aware that companies need to contribute positively to their social, economic and natural environments, he started collaborating with Jibal NGO and then Eeama to deliver environmentally and socially responsible learning and travel experiences. He has been an advisor for Eedama since 2020.
Huda Masalmeh, M.sc
Huda is a Sustainability Consultant & the UAE Manager of Eedama. She’s an architect that holds the LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) credential as well as a M.Sc in Sustainable Architecture.
During her Masters, Huda studied the overlooked aspects of social sustainability within the design and buildings context & published multiple conference papers that highlight place making strategies, urban conservation and sustainable development. Huda developed a unique expertise in education for sustainable development (ESD) and in developing sustainable learning spaces. She also used her expertise to create, deliver and monitor educational workshops and field visits to more than 10,000 students in the UAE over the past 5 years.
Walaa Hirzallah
Walaa is an environmental enthusiast who has several years of environmental NGO’s experience, in addition to years of academic research in the field of wastewater treatment.
Her passion for protecting the environment and natural resources sprouted after a visit to a refugee camp in 2005. She witnessed first-hand the distressing effects of the lack of access to basic life essentials, like clean water, a privilege that many take for granted. That experience led her to pursue her graduate studies in Environmental Engineering. Walaa strongly believes that even the slightest adjustments to our daily choices and habits can go a long way with respect to protecting our planet
Toka Ahmed
Toka, a recent graduate from Breda University, holds a BSc in International Built Environment with a minor in Urban Retrofitting Sprawled City.
As a LEED Green Associate Accredited professional, she has gained extensive experience in landscape designing, urban planning, and tactical urbanism. Her work as a landscape designer has mainly focused on greening schoolyards in the Netherlands. Additionally, she conducted research on the impact of schoolyard greening on school and neighborhood resilience. Toka is passionate about promoting sustainability to children, not just through classroom lessons, but also by actively engaging them in sustainability practices
Afrah Mir
A dynamic and energetic person who believes that learning can be a fun process. She promotes this through her interactive personality, great communication and critical thinking skills.
Born and raised in the UAE, she is fluent in both French and English language and has recently obtained her Physics Graduate from Sorbonne University, Abu Dhabi where she also developed the peer mentor program for student affairs. She respects the UAE’s diversity in cultures and is dedicated to take part of the country’s growth in the field of sustainability. For Eedama, she is able to simplify and communicate complex concepts to a non-technical audience and delivers workshops with great ambition and enthusiasm.
Zaina Al Hashimi
A Chemical Engineer in background working with Eedama under a volunteer program basis whereby she consults on program development and assists in carrying out workshops. She is an IEMA associate currently undergoing her diploma in Environmental Management and holds a solid 5-year background in building project scopes and overseeing implementing.
. Joining us as an experienced environmental and sustainability advisor and a new mother, Zeina’s enthusiasm and eagerness to helping people achieve social responsibility, whether on a personal or a professional level, has added great value to the Eedama family.
Ahmad Abu Ali
Ahmad is a science instructor and animator that specializes in STEAM workshops. He has delivered and created multiple workshops for eedama that fall under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). He is a triple E: Enthusiastic, Energetic and last but not least Environmentally conscious!
He started his journey as a STEAM instructor in the Abu Dhabi Science festival and the LEMA? Project and has 10 years of experience in his field. Ahmad loves being a STEAM instructor because as a STEAM instructor he can explain very tough science subjects with light and easy workshops that are fun and educational. Ahmad is currently studying Information Technology because he is very passionate about this field and hopes that he can use the knowledge gained from his studies will help him elevate his STEAM knowledge and skills.
Boshra Rami
Holds a Bachelor in IT from the University of Dubai. Through her genuine work and creativity, Boshra is always working to transmit and share her knowledge and skills with both the older and younger generations.She has two a year experience in STEAM training which highlights active learning techniques under the pillars of education. She is a true believer of Corporate Social Responsibility and is passionate about helping companies and individuals make their mark and achieve a socially conscious environment through their day to day business activities.
Mohammad Stouhi
With BA in Graphic Design, Mohammad is a highly motivated designer that has a vision in shaping a better world and reflecting his messages through graphics. Design is a way of conveying ideas and messages through shapes and lines. In a world that is being digitalized, we can spread awareness and help people through eye-catching visuals. In his opinion, an image has thousands of messages than a sentence.
Mawada Al Ismaili
Mawada holds a Master degree in Architecture Engineering from Osaka University in Japan.
She is a consultant at Eedama where she provides workshops and trainings in UAE specialized in Urban planning. Her love to outdoor activities and nature led her to a sustainable lifestyle.
Aisha Munawar
Aisha is a dynamic and enthusiastic individual who firmly believes that learning should be an enjoyable journey. Her vibrant personality, exceptional communication skills, and keen analytical mindset embody this philosophy. Born and raised in the UAE, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management and Development from UAEU.
Having initially ventured into the corporate world, Aisha demonstrated her prowess as an HR professional and displayed her flair for business development. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to establish her own venture, where sustainability took center stage. Crafting functional home decor pieces using eco-friendly materials became her hallmark. With a successful track record in running her business, she embraced the opportunity to share her expertise through workshops. Aisha’s journey encapsulates her thirst for knowledge; she independently acquired diverse skills and learned new techniques during her tenure as a business owner. As an advocate for sustainability and a driving force behind positive change, Aisha is poised to contribute significantly to the growth and well-being of both her community and Eedama through education in sustainable practices.
Ekaterina Mukhina
Straight after getting a degree in Hospitality and Tourism Business from Petrozavodsk State University (Russia), she worked in sales and events and then came to handle student’s enrichment programs and school field trips for Atlantis The Palm, Dubai.After giving birth and experiencing motherhood, she decided to be an example and inspiration to her children and create a learning environment for both of them to make the world a better place. Eedama came up as a perfect project for both her passions: Children & the environment. Ekaterina works in promoting green awareness and raising consciousness about sustainability through innovative, fair and humane sales and business development.
Bilal Itani
Bilal is NEBOSH certified aeronautical engineer and environmental enthusiast. Bilal Itani started his sustainability journey by joining Masdar under their Future Sustainability Leadership program (FSL). During his time in Masdar, he got the chance to develop his entrepreneurial skills and mindset. He also got the chance to be part of the youth delegate that represented the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment of the UAE in COP25 that was help in Madrid.Winner of the Ecothon+ competition in collaboration with Masdar.
Soumaia Amane
Soumaia has a materials and innovation engineering background, and is currently the business development manager of a hydroponic vertical farming solutions global company in the UAE, after having worked in Europe. Born in Morocco, a country rich in agriculture and biodiversity, she became passionate about the environment, sustainability, reducing waste, food security, and forestation of desert areas.
She’s driven to spread awareness about sustainability and environmental-friendly practices and uses her expertise in hydroponics to benefit diverse audiences to responsibly grow crops and consume less water. Which is why she joined Eadama in 2019. She has been delivering workshops on environmentally-friendly practices that are easy and affordable, and is now a content developer and instructor. In 2022, she was selected by Dubai EXPO2022 food, agriculture, and livelihoods business forum to speak at the Technology for Tomorrow conference.
Baseema Nizar
An Architect specialized in Sustainable Architecture. She is a LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) and a Pearl Qualified professional (PQP) for Estidama.
She has worked on various architectural projects aimed towards attaining sustainability goals. Baseema holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Architecture from Abu Dhabi University. Since her early years, Baseema has demonstrated a strong penchant for arts, design & social awareness. This characteristic combined with her strong technical background has made her the professional she is today. Collaborating with Eedama since 2017, she is one our experts in implementing sustainability designs and delivering interactive workshop sessions.
Poornima Ramesh
Poornima is a dynamic and cheerful individual with a vision to create a positive impact and contribute towards the social and sustainable development of communities. She comes from a business background with a master’s in Business Administration. She has more than a decade of experience in tutoring young change-makers to achieve their goals in entrepreneurship and innovation by guiding them in various inter-school and college competitions.Poornima helped initiate the community service department and organized various awareness campaigns and also participated in numerous charity events in UAE. She also spearheaded various international trips to enhance global exposure and social cohesion.
Rebecca Lockwood
Rebecca developed an interest in the environment and sustainability at an early age, after a degree in Environmental Science from Kingston University Rebecca was responsible for waste education and recycling schemes for local councils in the UK. After moving to Dubai she joined Nakheel as a Project Environmental Officer, Rebecca participated in ‘Clean up UAE’ and ‘Clean up the world’ days.Most recently Rebecca has been responsible for numerous public awareness schemes and designed the waste education program for schools aimed at children of all ages teaching environmental awareness and sustainability through presentations, activities and games. Rebecca continues driving sustainability with Eedama where she develops content and raises awareness within the next generation.
Christina Fernandes
Christina is a photojournalist with extensive experience as reporter, editor and photographer for various newspapers, magazines and other outlets. She is also the author of four published children’s and one photojournalistic book and used to run a small publishing company in Dubai. While living in Goa, India, she began teaching kids yoga and nature workshops as a way of contributing to the reduction of pollution and environmental degradation there. She took her first permaculture course in 2018 and was immediately hooked as she felt its principles fit in perfectly with what she had been teaching in her kids yoga and nature sessions.
Christina is a 500-hr+ certified yoga teacher and completed her permaculture design certificate (PDC) in 2020 with Permaculture Education in the US as well as the Permaculture Educators Course with Morag Gamble at the Permaculture Education Institute in Australia in 2022. She also completed the Green Educators course with the Green School Bali in 2022 and is currently completing a diploma in equine facilitated learning with a focus on partnering with horses in nature education. Christina teaches gardening, nature education and permaculture at the Arbor School as well as various other venues in Dubai and beyond. She is excited to be part of the eedama team which allows her to teach and learn with a group of like-minded people.
Amal Niaz Shaikh
Amal has been enthusiastic about the field of environment and sustainability from the time she was in school. She has a bachelor’s and master’s degree from UK in sustainability, environmental policy with economics. Interestingly, she also has a diploma in an arts field- in Interior Decoration and Design from Pakistan- which she believes has helped bring creativity that she wants to use for benefiting the environment. She has diverse range of experiences ranging from environmental projects and initiatives to environmental teaching. Joining Eedama has been a natural choice for her given the opportunity to combine sustainability with creativity and spreading awareness.
Nourhane Mokahal
Nourhane brings a unique blend of passion and expertise to our Eedama team. She holds a Bachelor of Civil & Environmental Engineering from Beirut Arab University as well as the esteemed Victor Frankl Middle East Award for Human Rights & Human Dignity. With an impressive track record spanning six years, Nourhane has emerged as a trusted leader in training, coaching, facilitation, and community development.
Stefania Chica Jacome
Stefania is a consultant working on a variety of projects related to carbon, climate change and sustainability measurement and reporting, across the UK and UAE.
Her interest and passion in the field led her to complete a Master’s in sustainable development and environmental economics at the University of Saint Andrews in Scotland, where she focused on renewable energy and the environment. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in international business and has worked in the Fast-moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry in Latin America and UK. It was this experience that kindled her curiosity in understanding how businesses can seamlessly integrate sustainability into their core operations.
Originally from Ecuador, and currently based in Dubai, Stefania is a Spanish native speaker who loves the excitement of travelling to new places and discovering different cultures.
Leen Akkad
Leen Akkad earned her degree in Business Administration and Management from AUB in 2017. She has been actively engaged with various local brands and companies, including RONI HELOU, Creative Space Beirut, Alexandra Hakim, Nada Zeineh, Rouba G, L’Atelier Nawbar and many more. Leen’s professional journey includes roles as an E-commerce Manager at Creative Space Beirut, as well as positions in Marketing and Sales with RONI HELOU. She is also a versatile freelance Web Designer and Marketing Strategist, helping businesses establish their online presence and manage e-commerce operations. Leen has an additional role as an e-commerce and digitization trainer, supporting regional SMEs in their journey towards digital transformation. She is deeply committed to sustainability and often collaborates on projects with a strong social impact.
