About Me

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I’m a Sudanese journalist based in Qatar, where I’ve lived for over 20 years. I’m currently the Deputy Editor at Marhaba Information Guide, Qatar’s Premier Information Guide.

I’ve graduated from Northwestern University in Qatar (NU-Q) in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree of science in journalism. I have then embarked on a career with extensive experience in the print and digital media industry in Qatar. I have worked with some of the most notable magazines and media outlets in Qatar including Qatar Today, GLAM, T Qatar – The New York Times Style Magazine in Qatar, BQ and BQ Plus, Qatar Visitor and Qatar Happening.

Throughout the years, I’ve interviewed well-known personalities including singer Sami Yousif, photographer Reza Deghati, calligraffiti artist el Seed, Grammy Award winning musician Amii Stewart, fashion designer Anniesa Hasibuan, NFL player Husain Abdullah, singer Fady Harb, archaeologists Charles Bonnet and Steffen Wenig, Glenn Leonard of The Temptations, and much more. My documentary, The Unveiled, which I’ve co-directed and co-produced, has won third place in the Women’s Voices Now film festival in California, USA in 2011.

I have mostly reported in Qatar (where I’ve been living since 1994), but I also have experience reporting in Turkey, the United States (New Orleans and Chicago) and Sudan.

In regards to my coverage of Sudan, I’m most notably known for ‘Sudanese Who Made It Big‘ and my documentary, ‘Sudan: Divided Identity, Divided Land‘. I’m a frequent contributor to Andariya and previously 500 Words Magazine. Writing about Sudan has always been a passion of mine.

This website brings together both my professional and personal work. Although there is more than what’s documented on this website, you may view some of my published work by clicking on ‘Published Work‘. To learn more about me and my accomplishments, please visit ‘In The News‘.

For more information or to contact me, you can reach me at odiab91@yahoo.com or find me on Twitter as @therealoladiab (previously @diab_ola). You can also find me on LinkedIn at https://qa.linkedin.com/in/ola-diab.

 

45 thoughts on “About Me”

  1. Ola,

    Your blog is intelligent and wonderful and you are such an inspiration! I am sure you will be successful in whatever you choose to do. I hope it is okay that we featured you on
    ohyeahsudan.tumblr.com? if not, please leave a message at
    ohyeahsudan.tumblr.com/ask and we will respect your wishes and take down the post.
    Again, you are amazing!

    Thanks.

    -Oh yeah, Sudan.

  2. dear ola ,
    nice blog hope one day you succeed and be what you want . And most impprtant that you be youself and do what YOU think is right .

  3. Hi Ola,
    I have just discovered your blog and it is wonderful to see your pictures of Sudan. I taught in Kassala and then Khartoum for 4 years until 1990 and learnt so much while living there.
    I hope you succeed in your chosen career.
    Michelle

    • Hi Michelle,

      Thanks for taking the time to go through my blog! Wow, you’ve definitely spent more time in Kassala than I have or ever will. When I took those pictures, it was my first time in Kassala and just for two days. It was an eye-opening experience. I never knew Sudan was so beautiful and multi-ethnic. So interesting! Glad it was such a great experience for you too! Again, thanks for dropping by and commenting!

  5. Hi Ola,
    Yes, i encourage you to go back home and practice from within! Even though it’s very hard but it’ll be very useful in shaping you’re character and belief system.
    Best Regards
    Tariq

    • Tariq, thank you for the comment. This is the kind of positive yet realistic support I need. Thank you very much. I appreciate it!

  6. Hello there,
    Honestly I am one type of people who din’tlike anything easily, but your blog is terrific. Wish you the best.

  7. HI Ola
    by accident i found your blog,really i enjoyed it.. and i think it an oasis for those whom searching about Sudan. Allah bless and help you.

  10. Ola, I respect very much your way of handling with such an issue: coming from divided Country, coming from Africa! Me too I am from “non existing” Country Yougoslavia! Now I am from Bosnia & I did not move at all! Yes for sure that the “only help” for your Country is EDUCATION! I hope & wish that a lot of young Sudanese women & men will follow your example! Wish You all the best!

    • Thank you very much Zaouli. I’m very grateful for your comment. I’m glad that people as far as Yugoslavia can relate to what I’m feeling and writing. Thank you very much for taking the time to comment. I greatly appreciate it.

  11. Assalamu alikum. Thanks a lot Ola .your blog helped me a lot .I was looking for updated information about my country Sudan for my son’s Project .Masy Allah blessed you and give you tawfeeq. Ameen

    • Hello Sahar! I’m happy to hear that my blog has helped you and your son. It brings me great joy. I appreciate the time you’ve taken to leave a comment. Thank you!

  13. Thumb up ola.I do respect such energetic and enthusiatic youth like you.Your words about gooing back to sudan made me happy. The misrable and hopelress people there.need your support.Today,all issues arwere mixed up.You can’t detache the social issues from economy or from politics,even the private is public ( as feminists said).
    Ola, you are amazing.. god pless you.

  14. نود الاتصال بك فنحن مهتمون بابداعات الأطفال عبر مشروع باسم هنا الأطفال (أفكارنا رائعة جداً) و لدينا مجموعة أوراق نود ارسالها لك عبر بريدك

    الالكتروني، ممكن تتيحي لينا فرصة تعرفك على هذا لبمشروع؟

  16. Ma Shallah Ola Diab nice blog. your writings are inspiring, continue until you make it big, continue until you be a legend
    I just found out about blogging in this platform and I decided to follow your steps….

    • Ahmed, thank you very much for your kind words. It’s very encouraging. Inshallah we all make it big one day. Good luck, and thank you again for your support.

  17. thank you on behalf of Sudan , the Sudanese, the nation, and every individual ,, wherever they are, on behalf of those who made it big, those who r going to make it bigger they are welcome, and those who do not know what to do for Sudan but they keep up loving Sudan we dream with for our m=next generation and the current elders, i am a Sudan Angel who Sud-love going to kill me. pls can u add The great Hamza Aladin

    • Hello! Thank you for the comment – very uplifting. I don’t understand what you meant when you said, “I am Sudan Angel who Sud-love going to kill.” Sounds worrying! However, thank you for the suggestion. I will look into Hamza Aladin to add him to the “Sudanese Who Made It Big” list.

  18. Hi Ola!
    My name is Anna & I’m an anthropology student in the University of Amsterdam. I watched your film Sudan: Divided Identity, Divided Land and really enjoyed it!
    I’m writing a paper on the construction of identity in Sudan and the part it played in the conflict. I was wondering if I could ask you some questions on the film.
    My email address is anna-devereux@hotmail.com – maybe you could send me your email address or an email! I would love to know more about your take on the conflict and whether the identity is just a matter of political discourse or an entity in itself.
    Thanks, hope to hear from you : )
    Anna

  19. Ola is an all-around, multi-talented journalist. She is a great reporter, writer and editor who will produce quality work every single time. First and foremost, she is fully devoted to her career. She has an eye for detail, great writing skills – both in Arabic and English – and an unmatched dedication to the topics she investigates. Whether it’s on her website or on social media, reading Ola’s work is a pleasure and an education. She embodies the attitude and skills one needs to be a digital journalist today. At her young age she already has produced a considerable amount of original, engaging and relevant journalistic work of which I have no doubts there is much more to come. It is my privilege to write this recommendation for her.

  21. we have an ancient civilization but till date it is unknown widely,and such efforts will be a guidance and approach for many people to know our country,god help you

  22. Salam ola
    Am from borno state in Nigeria I really love ur passion for ur society and I really learnt a lot about d dukhan cus am also into body treatment dilka my culture and ur is kind of similar..once again keep d good work n I really want to visit sudan some days cus my great grand parent were from thr before they migrated to nigeria

  24. Dear Ola
    Thank you so much for this website.
    I live in Australia, my 9 years old daughter been asked by her teacher to conduct a research about an African country and write a project about her country of choice. She has chosen Sudan (which she is very proud about),
    ,however when she search the internet for some facts about Sudan, sadly most of the information are about the negative side such as war,poverty and so on. All the information are written by foreigner which reflect their point of view.
    My daughter disappointed and depressed.
    Finally, she found your website was very helpful.
    Thank you

    • Dear Mr Adil,

      Thank you so much for your comment. It means so much to me. Truly appreciate it! This is exactly what I’m aiming to do with the site. Hopefully, more positive content will coming out about Sudan.

  25. Hola Dear Ola,
    Your Blog is perfect,I am so proud of you Your Blog told me in short “Our country Sudan is agreat country” .I thank you for the amazing contents ,the brilliant ideas and the positive eye.
    I wish I could do like you as a duty for the great Sudanese figures.
    My best regards.

  26. I was surfing the internet and found your blog after I finished reading it. I was curious about who is behind this magnificent effort. When I found it was you Ola my fingers were pacing and dancing to type this reply. Truly amazing work. You are an inspiration to me.

    • Salam Abdalrahman. Thank you for lovely comment. I cannot explain how much this means to me. I’m truly moved. Thank you so much for your kind words.

  27. It’s a decent professional blog that provides a good opportunity to get a better idea about what you are really doing, which is significantly great.
    Wishing you the very good best Ola.

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