Born with limited vision, Faisal al-Kohji, a legal counsel at Maersk Oil Qatar, is fast becoming a role model for the visually impaired in Qatar.
“I lost the ability to read and write at a very young age,” says Faisal. “I had been educated in a regular school up until that point, and was worried I wouldn’t be able to complete my education. But fortunately, through the help of a special programme, managed and supervised by the Al Noor Institute in Qatar, which provides aid to students with disabilities, I was able to complete my education at a public school.”
Faisal then pursued a law degree at Qatar University, graduating with a GPA of 3.87, the highest score in the entire College of Law and 5th overall in the class of 2011. Despite this remarkable achievement and qualifications he struggled to gain employment, as many organisations were sceptical that he could perform with his condition. Faisal remained upbeat, noting that many employers simply lack awareness of the assistive technology now available for people with visual
impairments.
“It’s an awareness issue in the community that we need to raise; positive improvements have been made in recent years, but I hope it improves even further in the future,” says Faisal.
Faisal’s interview experience at Maersk Oil Qatar (MOQ) was different. Indeed, the only time his condition was raised, was when his interviewer asked what measures would need to be taken to improve his working environment.
“I was very pleased,” says Faisal. “It was the first time that I was offered a position in accordance with my educational background.”
He explains that his first interview was quickly followed by a second with the facilities management and IT departments to identify what he would require to enhance his ability to work at the company.
Faisal uses a screen reader from the Mada Assistive Technology Centre, allowing them to read documents.
When discussing the social aspect of working at MOQ, Faisal has nothing but positive experiences. He even shares a few laughs at a misconception early on that he was being disrespectful to others as he didn’t always greet them - considered extremely disrespectful in Arab culture. It was only when colleagues realised that he is visually impaired that they understood why he sometimes passes without saying hello!
“One of the most important elements that encouraged me to stay in MOQ was the co-operation with my colleagues and my department,” says Faisal. Although a screen reader may alleviate the problem of being able to read emails and documents, Faisal still comes across issues with certain documents. He speaks positively of how his colleagues collaborate to assist him in such instances.
“Just because I have a screen reader doesn’t necessarily mean I can deal with all document types; there are some that are unreadable, but if I need any help or support, my team are always there for me,” Faisal adds.
In summarising his work at MOQ, Faisal says that, three years on, he still relishes the opportunity to work at a respected international company where he can gain a breadth of experience in the legal discipline.
Outside MOQ, Faisal is deeply involved with the community. Faisal began training with the Qatar National Goalball Team at 13. Faisal’s older brother, who also suffers from the same condition, currently captains the national team and is credited for encouraging him to train with them.
Faisal put his goalball endeavours and other social activities on hold in 2006 to focus on his academic career, only to return to training after graduating from the university five years later. In 2011, Faisal was invited to represent Qatar and participated in an Open Championship in Turkey with the national team. Faisal still plays with the national team and will have one of his recent matches broadcast on Al Rayyan TV within the coming weeks. He recently participated in an Arabian tournament with the national team.
Faisal is also involved with other organisations including the Qatar Social and Cultural Centre for the Blind which he chairs, the Voluntary Committee for Employing People with Disabilities, the Qatari Federation for the Sports of the Disabled, People with Special Needs Committee and the National Association for the Rehabilitation of people with Special Needs. In addition, he is often invited to speak with students regarding his achievements and the challenges, he has overcome.
“I definitely credit the support of MOQ as paving the way for me to be one of the youngest chairmen for a specialised centre in the region.My experience here and association with MOQ has enabled the Ministry of Youth and Sport to have trust in me for this role,” he continues.
Despite his gruelling schedule, Faisal has a passion for what he does because he believes he is bringing a positive change in the community by raising awareness for the visually impaired and people with disabilities, as well as doing a service for his country.
Faisal often credits his elder brothers for being the role models who inspired him to persevere through the difficulties he has faced over the years. Yet to many Maersk Oil Qatar employees, students in Qatar and others in the community, Faisal himself is seen as a role model and an
example to follow.