JEDDAH, 10 August 2005 — As women look for new opportunities in the world of business and commerce, one ambitious young Saudi hopes to be the first woman passport expediter.

Fawzia Muhammad Al-Mubarki is blazing her own trail despite her family’s protests; she plans to enter the male-dominated world of private agents who deal with passports, iqama and visas for ordinary people. She realizes it may be a long, hard struggle, but the industrious divorced mother of three seems up to the task.

“It’s been a big challenge for me to get experience as a passport expediter, but I look forward to meeting the challenge and proving that I, as a woman, can do it,” Fawzia told Arab News.

Fawzia’s story is one of self-reliance and determination. “I found myself alone in society, without the support of anyone; therefore, I decided to go on with my life and look for jobs so I could support my mother and me,” she said. “I took various jobs in hospitals, day-care centers and real-estate companies after my second marriage ended nine years ago, but I didn’t find myself until I took on this profession. I really enjoy processing passports and iqamas.”

Fawzia has no office though she hopes to have one some day. She hasn’t let that stop her, however. “I can reach my clients through my own communications.” She began by processing documents for some women she knew. Since then her business has grown as satisfied customers recommend her services to family and friends. Now she serves more men than women.

“What I do right now is to promote myself through my friends, local gatherings and other events. Some people are shocked when I tell them that I am a passport expediter,” she said.

Fawzia doesn’t have any trouble getting customers, but she says that men working in the field sometimes harass her and that sometimes the Passports Department isn’t very helpful.

“Yes, I’ve faced many obstacles and some harassment from men, either in the Passports Department or in other government departments,” Fawzia said. “As a woman, I wasn’t allowed to enter the Passports Department building to get my business done, and I used to stand in front of the main gate in order to get permission to enter.”

One obstacle is cleared and another one pops up in the form of established expediters.

“Once they knew that I was invading their all-male profession, they started to turn their backs on me, thinking that I was getting better treatment from Passports Department officers,” she said. “They started spreading rumors about me in order to make passports officials dislike me and make me give up the job.”

Undaunted, she remains determined to achieve her goal.

“I have never cared about what happens to me,” Fawzia said. “But I care that I have a goal to achieve and I am close to achieving it. The next step is getting an official permit from the government.”

She has made her request directly to a prince who she hopes will be impressed by her industry and determination. “My hope is that he will consider my wish to conduct my service in ease and comfort without any harassment,” Fawzia said.