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The present times are witnessing massive migrations all across the globe. Living away from one’s motherland -- away from loved ones, one’s own atmosphere and culture -- is not that easy. There is a major cost that people have to incur including emotional issues.
In Qatar, we see almost all communities living and involved in constructive and positive contributions in their spare time through social, cultural, educational, sports, and learning activities, thus providing opportunities to their nationals to keep busy, active, and in self-developing programs.
Qatar Tribune recently talked to Anne Jangsell Williams, a Swedish national, who is presently working as Director of Business Development with DRC Group in Doha and is also the Chairperson of the Swedish Community Qatar. She came to Qatar to join her life partner four years ago. She got an offer to join for three months the British Chamber of Commerce, Qatar Chapter, which gave her a chance to meet a number of important personalities in Qatar. By the time her short contract was getting over, she was invited to a meeting at the Swedish embassy in connection with the forming of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, Qatar Chapter. Later, she was made Chairperson, Swedish Community Qatar, a position she is still serving. At the embassy meeting, she met her former boss who offered her a job which she accepted.
Two years ago, she contemplated creating a Whatsapp group for people she knew in various sectors and from different countries with a common attitude of cheerfulness. She discussed the idea with some like-minded friends from different countries and professions including Stefan Lindberg-Jones, Nevena Tabakova, Fabienne Hajjar, Catina Aghayan, Sam Tfaily, Henning Zimmerman, David Bache, Gordana Popovic, Radhouane Elloumi and Hilary Bainbridge. They all supported her and liked the idea. After a short brainstorming, they created the ‘Happy People Doha’ Whatsapp group. The group is now celebrating its second anniversary this month of February.
“The main objective to form a group of like-minded friends on the Whatsapp platform was to explore business group’s networking meetings, forthcoming exhibitions, conferences in Qatar etc. In addition, the objective was to support each other in times when someone is looking for medical specialists or technicians, any contacts or even jobs,” she said.
At a later stage, some of the members suggested meeting in person as as to know about each other as it was only Anne Williams who perhaps knew all of them. They decided to meet on a monthly basis and the venue was not an issue since there were a large number of members from the hospitality sector on-board who generously started offering the venue.
The chairperson of the ‘Happy People Doha’ Whatsapp group said she feels gratitude to all of them for facilitating an evening at their superb venues.
The group, said, Anne, has more than 100 members from 30 countries now. They come from a wide range of sectors including chambers of commerce, councils, diplomatic corps, hospitality, media, medicine, construction, consultants, and event management to name it.
“Our meetings are away from any formalities or business-oriented. It’s a very casual spending of time, getting to know each other, supporting each other, and away from any business worries,” she noted.
Meanwhile, to make the group more meaningful and lively, a seven-member board was formed recently which includes Ann Jangsell Williams,
David Key, Sam Tfaily, Malak Kanaan, Ashraf Siddiqui, Carolyn Collins, and Quinten Veerman.
In Qatar, we see almost all communities living and involved in constructive and positive contributions in their spare time through social, cultural, educational, sports, and learning activities, thus providing opportunities to their nationals to keep busy, active, and in self-developing programs.
Qatar Tribune recently talked to Anne Jangsell Williams, a Swedish national, who is presently working as Director of Business Development with DRC Group in Doha and is also the Chairperson of the Swedish Community Qatar. She came to Qatar to join her life partner four years ago. She got an offer to join for three months the British Chamber of Commerce, Qatar Chapter, which gave her a chance to meet a number of important personalities in Qatar. By the time her short contract was getting over, she was invited to a meeting at the Swedish embassy in connection with the forming of the Swedish Chamber of Commerce, Qatar Chapter. Later, she was made Chairperson, Swedish Community Qatar, a position she is still serving. At the embassy meeting, she met her former boss who offered her a job which she accepted.
Two years ago, she contemplated creating a Whatsapp group for people she knew in various sectors and from different countries with a common attitude of cheerfulness. She discussed the idea with some like-minded friends from different countries and professions including Stefan Lindberg-Jones, Nevena Tabakova, Fabienne Hajjar, Catina Aghayan, Sam Tfaily, Henning Zimmerman, David Bache, Gordana Popovic, Radhouane Elloumi and Hilary Bainbridge. They all supported her and liked the idea. After a short brainstorming, they created the ‘Happy People Doha’ Whatsapp group. The group is now celebrating its second anniversary this month of February.
“The main objective to form a group of like-minded friends on the Whatsapp platform was to explore business group’s networking meetings, forthcoming exhibitions, conferences in Qatar etc. In addition, the objective was to support each other in times when someone is looking for medical specialists or technicians, any contacts or even jobs,” she said.
At a later stage, some of the members suggested meeting in person as as to know about each other as it was only Anne Williams who perhaps knew all of them. They decided to meet on a monthly basis and the venue was not an issue since there were a large number of members from the hospitality sector on-board who generously started offering the venue.
The chairperson of the ‘Happy People Doha’ Whatsapp group said she feels gratitude to all of them for facilitating an evening at their superb venues.
The group, said, Anne, has more than 100 members from 30 countries now. They come from a wide range of sectors including chambers of commerce, councils, diplomatic corps, hospitality, media, medicine, construction, consultants, and event management to name it.
“Our meetings are away from any formalities or business-oriented. It’s a very casual spending of time, getting to know each other, supporting each other, and away from any business worries,” she noted.
Meanwhile, to make the group more meaningful and lively, a seven-member board was formed recently which includes Ann Jangsell Williams,
David Key, Sam Tfaily, Malak Kanaan, Ashraf Siddiqui, Carolyn Collins, and Quinten Veerman.
