With over 13.000 alumni worldwide, the IHS Alumni Network gathers international experts in urban development from across the globe. In this series we reconnect with some familiar faces and find out more about their professional path after graduation.
Meet Iqbal
Iqbal is an agricultural engineer with two master’s degrees, the most recent being Sustainable Environment and Climate Change from IHS. After graduating from IHS in 2016, she ventured into a different field, taking on the role of Director for the Women’s Empowerment and Gender Programme at a national NGO and head of Mission at INGO. Now, she combines her sustainability and social impact expertise as a Senior Technical Advisor in Food-Water Systems at INGO.
Student life
As the world faces increasing climate challenges, many search for ways to make a real difference. For those determined to tackle these issues, it’s not just about understanding the problems; it’s about gaining the skills needed to address them. For Iqbal, it was important to pursue an education that focused not only on theory but also emphasized practical learning rather than solely theoretical concepts. At IHS, she had the opportunity to engage in real-world learning experiences that allowed her to expand her knowledge and prepare for the challenges ahead.
Iqbal's move to the Netherlands from Jordan marked an exciting new chapter in her life, filled with learning opportunities. As she adapted to a new environment, language, and way of life, Iqbal was determined to take advantage of the opportunities presented to her. While stepping out of her comfort zone was challenging at first, it ultimately contributed to her personal growth. Studying alongside peers from around the world helped her develop various interpersonal skills, such as an increased level of adaptability and confidence. This ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds continues to benefit her in her work, no matter the role.
Growth through challenges
Challenges exist everywhere, but without them, there would be no room to grow, innovate, or create new opportunities. After graduating, Iqbal began her career in a different field and took on the role of Director for the Women's Empowerment and Gender Programme at JOHUD, a national NGO. She started as a volunteer within the organisation and gradually moved up through various positions. Over the years, her expertise expanded, leading her to a Director role. In this role, she led initiatives focused on advancing gender equality and empowering women in various communities. Her responsibilities included coordinating projects, collaborating with stakeholders and ensuring that the programmes had a lasting, positive impact on women's lives. Moreover, this position allowed her to give back to the community and deepen her commitment to societal change.
Since then, she has taken on a new role as a Senior Technical Advisor at CARE, where she focuses on integrating her expertise in agriculture and sustainability with Food-Water Systems, gender, and social development. Her work is centered on empowering women in rural areas, particularly those who depend on agriculture, by raising awareness of how climate issues directly impact their livelihoods and well-being. Through advocacy campaigns and collaboration with stakeholders, she aims to promote cooperation across various sectors and levels of governance to drive meaningful change in the Middle East. Tailoring strategies to meet local needs has sometimes been challenging, especially in bridging the gap between policy and on-the-ground implementation. However, she has come to understand that this challenge will continue to arise throughout her career.
"We have a proverb in our culture that says: You will never learn and succeed if you do not challenge yourself, learn from your mistakes and experiences, and make your life meaningful. I refuse to stay in my comfort zone. If the chapter I’m journeying through lacks excitement, I won’t even give it a try. This is exactly what I experience whenever I take on a new challenge, so I consider myself a lucky person." - Iqbal Hamad, 2025.
Everything is interconnected
Iqbal has dedicated her career to tackling the challenges of climate change, sustainable agriculture, and gender equality. Her work focuses on creating solutions that provide real and lasting benefits to the communities she serves. Over the years, she has witnessed how these issues are deeply interconnected and how essential it is to address them from multiple perspectives.
In her current role, she is involved in two main projects: one focused on skill-building for small-scale farmers, particularly women in agriculture, called She Feeds the World (SFtW). The other is the Scaling Up Farmer Field Business School (FFBS), where she offers technical guidance to help her colleagues enhance their skills and approach. The approach to work is extremely important and many things should be taken into consideration when determining what approach to use when training the farmers, such as the markets, gender, sustainable agriculture, nutrition and the climate.
For her future, Iqbal hopes to further develop her skills and continue making a positive impact by helping others.
