Dubai: Travelling can be an overwhelming experience for many – from crowded terminals to security checks, getting through the airport and to your flight can be challenging, even more so if you are a Person of Determination.But if you are travelling in and out of Dubai, there are several support services that have been carefully designed to make the experience easier. Dubai Airports has introduced a range of support services across Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central (DWC) that are aimed at making passengers who may have a visible or hidden disability travel with greater comfort and support.The ‘Hidden Disabilities Sunflower’There are instances when a person’s disability can be visually identified, like in cases where a person may be using a wheelchair. However, 1 in 6 people globally live with a disability, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), and sometimes those disabilities may be hidden.The Hidden Disabilities Sunflower is a globally recognised symbol that allows people with non-visible disabilities or conditions to discreetly indicate that they may need additional support, understanding or more time during their journey.Conditions can include autism, ADHD, sensory processing difficulties, cognitive or neurological conditions, hearing or visual impairments, chronic pain, diabetes, respiratory conditions and many other temporary, situational or permanent disabilities.At Dubai Airports, you can wear a Sunflower lanyard, which is provided at the information desks or dedicated support desks at each terminal, which allows you to communicate that you, or someone in your travel group, may require additional support.Dubai Airports staff who have been especially trained to support people with hidden disabilities also wear a Sunflower pin, indicating that they are equipped to help.Where can you get a Sunflower lanyard?You can collect a Sunflower lanyard free of charge at the airport at the following points.DXB Terminal 1: Before the check-in area entry point, look for the Sunflower symbol on the information screens and approach an airport employee.DXB Terminal 2: At the information desk before the check-in areas.DXB Terminal 3: At the Departure Hall Information Desk, located parallel to Departures Entrance 2.DWC: At the information desk before the check-in areas.At all terminals, sunflower lanyards are also available at desks located before passport control.You will not be asked to provide any documentation or proof of disability to receive a lanyard or access support services. The badge can be worn by the Person of Determination or their caregiver, or someone in their travel group.6 dedicated services for people with hidden disabilities1. Autism Friendly RouteDubai Airports has introduced a dedicated Autism Friendly Route designed to reduce stress throughout the airport journey. The route includes dedicated lanes at check-in, passport control and security screening.The route is marked with sunflower symbols and supported by trained airport staff wearing sunflower pins, making it easier for passengers to identify them.According to Dubai Airports, passengers wearing a Sunflower lanyard are typically invited to move forward in queues where possible and may be offered the option to board early or board last, depending on their preference and airline procedures.At Terminals 1, 2 and DWC, passengers can approach an employee in the check-in area for guidance through the autism-friendly process. At Terminal 3, travellers can use the Additional Assistance Desk.2. Hearing LoopsDubai Airports has also installed Hearing Loops at more than 520 customer touchpoints across its airports, to support people with impaired hearing. If you wear a hearing aid or a cochlear implant, the hearing loop can be connected to it by simply activating the telecoil setting on your hearing aid or cochlear implant. The hearing loop then allows you to hear airport announcements and communicate more clearly with staff reducing background noise and transmitting sound directly to compatible hearing aids.These are available at check-in counters, immigration counters, boarding gates and help desks.3. Assisted Travel Lounge at Terminal 2Located in the Departures area of DXB Terminal 2, the Assisted Travel Lounge provides a dedicated space for People of Determination and travellers with hidden disabilities.The lounger has wheelchair-accessible areas, noise-reducing seating, a decompression zone for autistic passengers, calming lighting, tactile materials and a dedicated space for unaccompanied minors.4. Dedicated security lanesDubai Police has also introduced several measures to support travellers with physical, visual, hearing and cognitive impairments in collaboration with Dubai Airports.At both DXB and DWC, dedicated security lanes are available for Persons with Disabilities at Arrivals and Departures, helping provide a faster and more comfortable screening experience.Additional measures include customised metal detector gates suitable for wheelchair users, more than 400 trained employees supporting guests with intellectual disabilities and private inspection rooms for travellers with prosthetic limbs.Dubai Airports has advised passengers with prosthetic devices to carry relevant medical reports to help facilitate the screening process.5. DPNA code for flight bookingsIf you are a Person of Determination, it is important to use the ‘DPNA’ code when making your flight booking.The ‘Disabled Passenger with Intellectual or Developmental Disability Needing Assistance’ is a standardised special service request from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which alerts alerts airlines and airport service providers that that passenger may require additional support during the journey.6. Autism Friendly travel plannerDubai Airports has also released a special Autism Friendly travel planner, which breaks down airport procedures for travellers, and guides them through the process all the way from the moment they enter the airport to the time their flight lands at their destination. The guide can be downloaded here: https://dubaiairports.ae/docs/passengerslibraries/default-document-library/travel-planner.pdf?sfvrsn=594a85c6_7By taking advantage of these dedicated support services available at Dubai’s airports, you can make your journey easier.

Dubai: At an age when most teenagers are still navigating classrooms and exams, 14-year-old Dubai resident Jainam Jain is building an artificial intelligence startup.The teenager completed his Grade-10-equivalent IGCSE examinations at just 13 years old, around three years earlier than most students, before deciding not to immediately continue formal education. Instead, he took what he describes as a gap year of sorts. His focus shifted entirely to entrepreneurship.Today, he is building an AI startup while operating from Dubai, a city he believes gave him the environment, network, and confidence to pursue an unconventional path. But Jainam insists this story did not begin with AI.“It started much earlier,” he said. “I've always been in an environment that encouraged me to take on challenges.”A childhood built around challenges Born in Pune, India, Jainam's family moved to Dubai when he was around five years old. He describes growing up in a home filled with books, where both he and his younger sister were encouraged to pursue ambitious goals without worrying about failure.One of his earliest memories dates to when he was six years old. “He just took us so that we could watch and learn,” Jainam said of attending a business meeting with his father. “I became interested in business and technology from then.”That curiosity gradually evolved into increasingly ambitious family challenges. One summer, Jainam and his sister set themselves a goal - attend 50 networking events in 50 days to understand communication, presentation skills, and relationship-building. Another year, they challenged themselves to read 50 self-improvement books in 50 days.Then came the challenge that Jainam says changed how they viewed what was possible.From left: Jainam Jain, Dhiraj Kantilal Jain, Mamata Dhiraj Jain and Jivika Jain. Photo credit: Supplied 120 events, 6,000 kilometres, 50 daysIn 2022, the siblings travelled across Maharashtra with an objective of conducting 100 motivational events in 50 days while inspiring 50,000 people.They exceeded every target.“In 50 days, we completed 120 events, travelled more than 6,000 kilometres and reached over 50,000 people,” Jainam recalled.The sessions took place across schools, colleges, NGOs, and organisations where they spoke about entrepreneurship, public speaking and personal development.“It was difficult. We got sick several times. We were travelling constantly,” he said. “But it changed how we looked at what was possible.”Jainam at one of the events as part of his 50-day challenge YouTube came firstLong before AI startups entered the picture, Jainam had already spent years experimenting. At age seven, he and his younger sister launched a YouTube channel focused initially on toy unboxing videos before shifting toward science experiments under the banner JJ Fun Time. The pivot worked. Within three months, the channel attracted more than 100,000 subscribers. The visibility opened unexpected doors.Schools began inviting the siblings to conduct demonstrations and speak about their experiences. Alongside content creation, they increasingly moved into motivational speaking.“When we were growing up, our parents always encouraged us to try,” Jainam said. “Even if something doesn't work out, the important thing is taking the initiative.”Finishing school earlyAt age 12, Jainam began researching whether completing school early was possible. He eventually discovered that the Cambridge pathway allowed students to sit IGCSE examinations irrespective of age. After finding a school in Jaipur willing to facilitate the process, he completed Grade 10 at age 13 after approximately 105 days of preparation and examinations. His younger sister pursued the same challenge. She completed the same milestone at age 10.Then came the obvious question. “What next?”Why he chose entrepreneurship insteadThe answer became Mengo. Jainam describes the platform as an AI co-founder for businesses.The startup aims to automate marketing, lead nurturing, sales functions, content generation, newsletters, websites, communications, and customer engagement workflows through a single business profile.The product remains in beta. According to Jainam, approximately 100 businesses have joined the waiting list. Despite launching a company, the operation remains lean.Because of age-related legal requirements, Jainam says his father serves as co-founder, although he describes the startup as effectively a one-person operation. “I focus on the operations and the product,” he said. Notably, Jainam says he has never completed a formal AI course.“I haven't taken formal AI courses,” he said. “Most of it came from experimenting with products, learning from YouTube and staying curious.”He says he naturally became the person in the family who constantly followed new software, devices, and emerging technology trends. Eventually, curiosity evolved into understanding how AI could solve business problems.Why Dubai mattersPhoto credit: Xavier Wilson/Emirates 24|7 Jainam believes building the company from Dubai created a significant advantage. “The networking here is incredible,” he said. “You meet investors, users, mentors and people who genuinely want to help.”He points to the speed with which new technologies are adopted locally as another major advantage. “As soon as something new happens globally, it gets adopted very quickly here,” he said. “The AI community is growing fast, but it's also very supportive.”But technology, he says, is only part of the story. “I don't really see Dubai as a city,” he said.“I see it as a community. People help each other, businesses support each other and everyone grows together.”That environment, Jainam says, made it easier to walk into networking events, meet founders, and speak to potential clients despite being significantly younger than almost everyone around him.“Whenever I am at a networking event, people can see me and know that I am young,” he said. “But their question is always ‘What do you do?’ to find out more, instead of ‘Why are you here?’. So, the community is supportive.”The moment that changed everythingWhile AI occupies most of his time today, Jainam says success has never been only about building companies. He says the turning point came years earlier while conducting science demonstrations at schools. The experiments themselves were rarely what students remembered.“People had seen those experiments online before,” he recalled. “What connected with them was hearing that we were ordinary kids who had decided to do something different.”Standing in front of students, he noticed something. People leaned forward. They listened more carefully. They began imagining different possibilities. “That's when I saw the spark,” he said. “People realised that we were just like them. We had simply chosen a different path.”What comes next?Jainam says his ambitions extend beyond entrepreneurship. He hopes to build companies that create opportunities for others. More importantly, he hopes people see his story and challenge themselves.“I want to be someone who inspires others to believe they can do something different,” he said. “Whether that's through business, technology or anything else.”As for whether he intends to return to school and complete higher secondary education? He says he has not decided. “As of now, I have not thought about it,” he said. “I’m focussing on the startup. I guess I’ll think about it when the time comes.”