Rania Hallak Writer and Journalist

Rania Hallak

Writer and Journalist

The influence of visual aesthetics on cognitive powers gives the photographers an amazing opportunity to speak without the need to write, the language of the photographer is the lens of his camera, and the professional photographer is a professional speaker. This is what attracted me in this creation of a Syrian young man who works in photography and has an amazing account on the Instagram, he takes pictures for places we might not pay attention to while hanging around in the streets of London. I decided to meet him after my knowledge about him via an interview recorded with him by humanitarian organization dealing with refugees in Britain.

Every day I look at the photos he publishes on the Instagram, which usually includes pictures of touristic places but from an artistic angle, richness in colours feeds the visual needs to aesthetics, as if his pictures are invitation cards to visit those landmarks. I looked between the pictures for his story or face features to know the whole story behind this creativity, my curiosity prompted me to write to him and express my admiration, he was lovely and thanked me, we agreed to meet in a cafe close to the city centre which is famous for its old Damascene design.

The walls of the cafe and its decorated wood roof with engravings, dating back to 1915, brought from Damascus to London, charmed me. The beauty of the place and its Damascene spirit fascinated me. I wondered about the situation of the Syrian immigrants fleeing the violence, carrying painful stories, leaving beloved ones who did not know their fate and a slaughtered homeland where they left their fragmented memories.

Ayman arrived, whom I recognized according to his eastern features, his shy smile, and his tired eyes because of the harsh situations he faced at this young age. I felt responsible for him, in spite of having the same pain but I did not endanger my life in order to get here, when I was a teenager I fled from a state looks like a large prison surrounded by walls, seeking for a country which respects human rights and freedom of expression and governed by law and democracy.

I surprised him with a question about his story and the motivations of creativity in his photos, and how he came to Britain. My questions were consecutive as if he is in an interrogation room. Ayman, the 25-year-old from Aleppo fled the hell of war in Syria to settle in Turkey, where he learned the language and decided to work to meet his daily expenses. But after settling in Istanbul and getting work in a restaurant, his dad insisted on him to travel to get a better and more secure future.

I did not expect to be shocked by his story after hearing hundreds of Syrian stories with sad ends, but Ayman's story was different, perhaps for its happy end or his long and difficult journey to London. Ayman passed through seven European countries reaching to Calais in France, which is away several miles from Britain by sea, he did not stop dreaming about arriving London, and after many unsuccessful attempts to cross the border, his insistence pushed him to think in another serious and dangerous way although the consequences may lead to end his life. Ayman said, in coordination with my friend, I decided to hide in a small travel suitcase in which I was obliged to act as an embryo and I made a small hole to breathe. His friend took a picture for him before this experience, he showed it to me while speaking.

" I entered the bag, rolled and prayed. My friend dragged the suitcase and put it in bags box in the bus, I was in a suitcase inside a box trying to breathe hardly and facing an unknown destiny, I lost consciousness many times but my determination and patience made me endure, Ayman added".

With a trembling voice, I asked him how long did the journey take? "Eight hours of fear and terror as I am facing death," he replied.

I interrupted him again, after a silence minute as I pray for his death, please don’t continue, you are now alright, I don’t want to hear more.

Ayman is now in a good health living with a British family who looks after him, he followed his dream and bought a professional camera, he began the journey of photography as he is documenting all moments of his life after the suitcase, in every street and corner, in the day and night. He is working now as a professional photographer for a well-known British company.

There are many painful Syrian stories. The Westerns might consider them fortunate because they are now in safe countries, but the truth is that they don't realize how much they have lost. They have lost everything and safety won't remove the scars of this war.

I was overwhelmed by the pain of life's cruelty, the pride of a person's strength and insistence on excellence and creativity, despite the disasters he experienced.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.