'Essential for women to be self-reliant'
Samarra woman empowers over 500 women through driving lessons despite challenges
SALAH AL-DIN— For the past five years, 23-year-old Dalia Sami has trained over 500 women and young girls in driving in Samarra’s Al-Shurta neighborhood at the “Lady of the Future” driving center, which was established in 2017 by her mother. In addition, she has helped 250 more women outside the city gain driving skills.
After earning her own license, Dalia not only focused on training new drivers but also on preparing female driving instructors. The center offers affordable lessons, but Dalia emphasizes that her main goal is to empower women to become self-sufficient despite the societal challenges they face.
Dalia, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from Samarra University, took over managing the school at 18 to support her mother. “I received my driving permit and official license from the Salah al-Din Traffic Directorate, and since then, have been training women and girls in driving skills,” she told 964media.
While her mother teaches female students, Dalia’s brother trains the male students. The family relies on this small business as their main source of income, due to the lack of government jobs available despite their university degrees.
“My goal is to encourage women to drive. I have trained women from all walks of life—engineers, doctors, lawyers, and homemakers. It’s essential for women to be self-reliant and overcome obstacles,” she added.
Dalia faces challenges such as poor road conditions, lack of traffic signs, and conservative attitudes in the city. Despite this, she remains committed to teaching women to drive skillfully and independently.
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