Simona Briggiotta – AKA Samira Cooper -  is an Italian blogger who’s lived in Dubai for over six years. She’s also a social media marketing manager. She’s the mother of three boys, two of whom have special needs – they are, as the UAE would say, People of Determination. Simona spends much of her time looking after her young family, spending her afternoons and evenings blogging and attending events around town.
 “The smiles of my kids make me very happy”, says Simona. “Happiness is something I can find in such small things. When they hug me, when they smile, when they draw for me or give me a flower. That makes me happy. As a mother I’m very proud of them.”
“Living in Dubai with kids with special needs is the reason to stay here. I’ve found a special needs school here where they can improve their skills and they can do all kinds of therapy with qualified people. There are lots of activities for them included in government programs. It makes parents very happy and grateful.”