As major positive changes continue to happen for women in Saudi Arabia, a light has now been shined on one of the very first female ambulance drivers in the Kingdom.
In a new documentary published by the Saudi Center for Government Communication, Sara Al Anizi detailed how when she was younger she hoped she would be able to help people who were injured.
“When I was young, I used to keep band-aids,” she said. “When anyone had an injury, they would call me for assistance.
“This was a source of great happiness, especially as my father consolidated the idea that I was the home doctor.”
Since becoming an ambulance driver, Al Anizi has gained some incredible experience as well as “high confidence”.
توجّه إلى اليمين قليلا.. في المسار الأيسر المسعفة سارة العنزي، ضمن أوائل سائقات الإسعاف بالمملكة، على أهبة الاستعداد دومًا لنداء الإنسانية والوطن. @KFMC_RIYADH #التواصل_الحكومي pic.twitter.com/WDCqr7LPia
— التواصل الحكومي (@CGCSaudi) September 23, 2020
She also reflected on the current pandemic, admitting it has been a difficult time.
“It was a big challenge,” she said. “I would look behind and remember my family, children and my mother without knowing what is in store for me. But Thanks to Allah, I drove patients to the quarantine and was happy for doing this.”
In the last few years, things have changed drastically for women in Saudi Arabia when it comes to their rights and female empowerment.
The changes are part of the many initiatives under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 scheme, an ambitious post-oil economic plan, which has a major focus on women’s rights in the Kingdom.
Just three months after he stepped into the role in 2017, the Crown Prince unveiled in a royal decree, women would be able to secure driving licenses from June 2018 and he has gone on to do much more.
