Reem Shamieh.
Reem Shamieh.
Reem Shamieh is the youngest of five siblings, born and raised in Lebanon.
Reem was born with down syndrome, and is a very caring person, someone who is dedicated, passionate and very supportive. Reem is literally a blessing to her family and all who meet her.
As a young girl, Reem’s interests and hobbies were diverse, ranging from sports and cooking, to the arts.
Reem has a strong interest in sport and was part of the Special Olympics team for Lebanon, where she participated in different international and national tournaments in a variety of sports.
Reem played ping-pong in the Special Olympics in 2007 where she won the bronze medal. In 2009 she participated in the Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi, this time winning gold in running. Then, in 2011 Reem won a silver medal in the Special Olympics Regional Games in the sport of bowling. Her last international participation in the Special Olympics was in Germany in 2012 where she played volleyball.
In addition to being multitalented in various sports, Reem also loves music and cooking, and one day dream to own her own bakery.
But it is art where Reem’s talents are exceling. She has loved the simple task of coloring since her early years, but her skills started developing further after relocating to UAE in 2017 where she showed interest in brushes, paints, and canvases.
In 2021 Reem was invited to participate in a painting course developed through Hotel Indigo in Dubai alongside other People of Determination. The final artwork pieces were presented at a special event part of the Art Series at Hotel Indigo in Downtown Dubai. Reem’s artwork was sold in the charity auction, further exciting her passion and motivation for painting.
In 2021 Reem became a valued member of Touch, an inclusive talent agency and consultancy in Dubai. Reem was invited to attend an event hosted by Hilton in collaboration with Touch where Reem had the opportunity to meet local business leaders, chefs, corporate heads, and taste amazing food. This opportunity empowered Reem to express herself and showcase what People of Determination are capable of.
The team at Touch are supporting Reem to pursue her passion in art, through paid opportunities which is providing Reem the opportunity to be financially independent.
As Reem’s family we are grateful for Touch and its partners for the outstanding work they do. The integration of her painting in extremely beautiful Coffee Packs for Cypher Coffee, and the platform for her to feel included and respected by the outside world, benefits the physical, emotional and moral support for Reem. This initiative has given us the opportunity to focus on her art and painting skills and realise that her pass-time hobby can make a difference not only in Reem’s life, but also the lives of others. We are so proud of the changes to our own mindset, and the importance of developing her skills and investing in it.