The world has one billion individuals with disabilities, but not all can access healthcare that can actually help them. A significant number of individuals with complicated neurological or psychological conditions continue to experience disconnections in support in the UAE, which complicates recovery further. In this regard, healthcare is evolving rapidly. The system is gradually changing with the introduction of new policies, technology, and patient-centered care. Hospitals and clinics no longer consider only successes in the treatment or recovery period but begin to address a holistic individual, including their mental state, social life, and everyday functioning. Vision 2071 and Federal Law No. 10 of 2023 show that the UAE is committed to inclusion and access. Leaders are expected to put people first in every decision they make.
Meanwhile, the voices of those who have, in fact, experienced these things, are beginning to gain prominence as never before. They identify holes and obstacles that cannot be demonstrated by data. Leaders that engage with lived experience are shaping more inclusive mental health policies and systemic support structures. They are integrating knowledge with a sense of understanding and treating human dignity in a manner that could not be described in any numbers. Leadership in this case does not entail power, rather, it is about responsibility, compassion, and making a real difference.
Adel BinHdaya AlFalasi, Founder and Chairperson of the Lived Experience People Foundation a civil society initiative, is one of the individuals leading this change. H.E. Dr. Mariam Matar serves as Co-Founder and key mentor, Dr. Nahida Nayaz Ahmed as Board member and key mentor, Dr. Aysha Abdalla and Dr. Hoda A. Hussein are Board Members, supporting the “Hawel” initiative. LEPF operates under UAEGDA and aligns with UAE Vision 2031 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (3, 4, 8, 10, 16, 17). His journey from personal experience to systemic advocacy demonstrates how individual challenges can inspire meaningful action. He has used his lived experience to co-design initiatives with government authorities and civil society partners, ensuring the voices of those often unheard are amplified. Adel’s story illustrates that true leadership is grounded in empathy, insight, and the ability to support both people and systems simultaneously, rather than in titles or institutional authority.
Let’s see how adversity became advocacy in Adel’s mission to humanize healthcare!
From Personal Struggle to Purpose
Adel’s journey into healthcare advocacy began with a very personal challenge. In 2020, he experienced a transient ischemic attack, commonly referred to as a mini-stroke, which left half of his body temporarily paralyzed. “That silence became a mirror: it reflected not only my physical recovery but also the emotional and systemic gaps surrounding people who live with complex conditions,” says Adel.
During this period, Adel confronted not only physical challenges but the harsh realities of social stigma. Prior to his diagnosis, many of his symptoms were misunderstood or dismissed, often attributed to cultural misconceptions rather than recognized as clinical conditions. “In certain moments, I was labelled as ‘possessed’ rather than supported clinically,” Adel recalls. These experiences highlighted the critical need for healthcare systems that treat lived experience as a source of wisdom rather than a weakness.
This profound personal insight became the cornerstone of his mission. He realized that systemic change could only occur if healthcare structures acknowledged and integrated the perspectives of those who had navigated these challenges firsthand. This ethos continues to shape LEPF’s approach: recovery is not only about regaining clinical function but about enabling meaningful reintegration into society.
Facing Challenges Head-On
Transforming support systems for mental health and functional recovery is never a linear journey, and Adel faced multiple challenges, both external and internal. The first barrier was societal and professional skepticism. Integrating lived experience into policy and social frameworks often prompts doubt or resistance. “Every transformation begins by confronting resistance,” says Adel.
Another challenge lay in bridging fragmented systems. Social support, employment programs, and mental health frameworks traditionally operate in isolation, creating gaps in reintegration. To address this, Adel designed the 3H Functional Recovery Model (LEPF Canon), which guides individuals from crisis to contribution through three pillars:
- Hayat (Heart, حياة): Emotional restoration through connection, compassion, and spiritual alignment. We honor the heart’s role in healing, meaning, and human connection. Keyword: Functional Belonging.
- Hawel (Head, حاول): Cognitive healing through understanding, awareness, and mental clarity. We help rebuild thought patterns that support sustainable recovery and purpose. Keyword: Functional Purpose.
- Hafez (Hands, حافِز): Practical action through skill-building, contribution, and purposeful engagement. We focus on real-life function, not theory, healing through doing, creating, and contributing. Keyword: Functional Goal.
Together, the three pillars form a holistic framework for Functional Recovery, emphasizing reintegration, human dignity, and societal contribution, not clinical therapy. This integrated model aligns with national policy and transforms recovery into a functional, culturally relevant, and human-centered experience.
The personal dimension of leadership also demanded resilience. Advocacy can be exhausting and isolating, and Adel faced moments of burnout. “At times, I faced burnout and isolation, but purpose outweighed exhaustion,” he admits. These experiences reinforced the importance of persistence, patience, and clarity of mission. In his philosophy, real leadership emerges not from titles or positions, but from consistent action and dedication to human impact.
Leading with Function and Empathy
Adel’s leadership is defined by a central principle: function before form. Policies, programs, and initiatives must serve the fundamental goal of restoring dignity, independence, and meaningful societal participation before anything else. “Before creating programs or policies, I focus on designing functional recovery frameworks that restore dignity and independence,” he explains.
At LEPF, this philosophy is operationalized through co-designed civil society initiatives that start with listening. Every program incorporates stories from individuals with lived experience, caregivers, and professionals, ensuring that decisions are guided by human insight rather than abstract data alone. The 3H Functional Recovery Model embodies this philosophy, transforming policy and systemic design from a technical or administrative process into a human-centered framework for functional recovery and social inclusion. Leadership, for Adel, also means creating structures that can evolve and sustain themselves beyond the tenure of any individual. Systems must remain adaptive, efficient, and aligned with both national goals and societal needs.
Impactful Initiatives and Measurable Outcomes
A hallmark of Adel’s work is the 3H Functional Recovery Model, a UAE-born Functional Recovery framework connecting lived experience with policy and support systems. Hawel focuses on cognitive clarity and functional purpose, Hayat on emotional restoration and functional belonging, and Hafez on practical action and functional goals. This integrated approach ensures recovery addresses the whole person and guides reintegration, not therapy.
One of the model’s defining moments came at the Abu Dhabi Integrated Mental Health Conference in 2024, where Adel shared his personal recovery story. “It reframed recovery from a purely medical process into a human-centered system built on dignity and cultural relevance,” he notes. The presentation highlighted the importance of incorporating cultural context, patient experience, and dignity into systemic healthcare design.
At the Global Mental Health Community Summit in Lisbon later that year, Adel extended his vision internationally by showcasing creative expression as a tool for rehabilitation. This initiative sparked global discussions about the value of integrating lived experience into policy and practice, demonstrating that recovery is as much about human dignity and reintegration as it is about clinical outcomes.
Fostering Creativity While Maintaining Standards
Innovation at LEPF thrives within a structure of accountability and ethical governance. “Our leadership model promotes freedom within structure: clear governance standards, but flexibility in how teams innovate,” says Adel. This philosophy allows teams to explore creative solutions without compromising on quality or compliance with national regulations.
Cross-disciplinary collaboration is central to the organization’s approach. Healthcare, education, and the arts intersect to create programs that restore not only functional abilities but also confidence, dignity, and social inclusion. Each initiative undergoes rigorous evaluation to assess human impact alongside operational efficiency, ensuring that creativity enhances, rather than undermines, care quality.
Leveraging Digital Transformation
Digital tools at LEPF are carefully designed to support, rather than replace, human care. “Digital transformation is central to how we advance mental health inclusion,” Adel explains. The LFGxp App, currently in a pre-pilot phase, is being designed to create a secure ecosystem for peer engagement, training for lived-experience professionals, and hybrid participation for People of Determination, all while ensuring privacy and compliance with the UAE Personal Data Protection Law.
Technology is used not as a substitute for empathy but as an amplifier of accessibility, equity, and accountability. Data-driven insights help refine programs, track outcomes, and identify areas where additional support is needed, ensuring that every individual’s recovery journey is visible, supported, and valued.
Cultivating Emerging Healthcare Leaders
At LEPF, leadership is measured by purpose and responsibility, not hierarchy. Adel identifies emerging leaders who reflect the UAE’s values of excellence, empowerment, and innovation. Programs for mentorship, experiential learning, and cross-disciplinary collaboration cultivate resilience, empathy, and strategic insight.
These leaders are encouraged to challenge traditional silos, think holistically, and embrace integrated approaches to healthcare. They learn to navigate complex systems while maintaining a focus on human impact, preparing them to drive sustainable transformation across the UAE and beyond.
Anticipating Future Trends
Adel sees the coming five years as a period of radical evolution in healthcare. “The next five years will redefine mental health policy and functional recovery approaches in the UAE,” he says. Functional recovery, leadership informed by lived experience, and human-centered digital ecosystems represent the most exciting frontiers. The shift will move the sector away from reactive, disease-centered care toward proactive, holistic models that prioritize dignity, inclusion, and meaningful societal participation.
These trends underscore the importance of adaptability and foresight in healthcare leadership, as systems must accommodate emerging technologies, cross-sector collaboration, and shifting cultural expectations while remaining anchored in human-centered values.
Leadership Shaped by Experience
The defining moment for Adel’s leadership philosophy came with his 2020 mini-stroke and the guidance of Dr. Nahida Nayaz Ahmed. “She didn’t treat me only as a patient — she helped me rebuild how I function, think, and reconnect with life,” he recalls. This experience illuminated the transformative power of functional recovery, turning personal challenge into insight that informs systemic advocacy, policy design, and civil society initiatives.
Presenting his story at national and international forums further reinforced the principle that lived experience can educate professionals, inform policy, and shape leadership. Mentorship from visionary figures in the UAE healthcare landscape emphasized that true leadership is measured by the lives it restores rather than titles or recognition.
Guidance for Aspiring Leaders
For future healthcare leaders in the UAE, Adel emphasizes purpose over position. “See the person, not the label,” he advises. He encourages designing solutions for gaps in service, mental health, and inclusion, and collaborating across disciplines. Functional recovery teaches that leadership is measured in tangible human outcomes: “If you can help one person stand again as leader, you’re already leading,” says Adel.
These principles guide aspiring leaders to prioritize empathy, innovation, and sustainable change. By cultivating systems that empower every participant, they can drive transformation that reaches far beyond individual institutions, creating a lasting impact on society.
A Legacy of Human-Centered Innovation
Adel’s contributions illustrate how civil society advocacy and systemic design can be deeply human while driving transformative change. Through the 3H Functional Recovery Model and LEPF, he has created a blueprint for integrating lived experience, empathy, and functional recovery into national mental health policies and support systems.
His work demonstrates that impact is not measured by technology or clinical interventions alone but by how effectively systems restore function, dignity, and hope. By fostering emerging leaders, leveraging digital tools ethically, and prioritizing holistic, human-centered approaches, Adel has established a legacy that will continue to guide the UAE’s mental health and social support frameworks for years to come.
This approach envisions a future policy and support ecosystem that is not only efficient and adaptive but also compassionate, inclusive, and resilient, designed to empower individuals while strengthening the networks and structures that support them.
