DAMAC Communities Showcase Residents’ Diverse Paths to Building Lives in Dubai

In a series of personal journeys that reflect the diverse appeal of Dubai’s residential communities, several residents of DAMAC developments have shared their stories of transformation, from modest beginnings to building lives in the city.

From Dh500 to Homeownership

Hamza Bensaid arrived in Dubai in August 2007 with only Dh500 borrowed from his mother and a biology degree from Morocco. His first job at GITEX lasted just three days, and a university application was rejected due to insufficient English skills.

Rather than returning home, Bensaid purchased an English-learning book, took a job paying Dh2,000 a month, and studied alongside 12-hour workdays. He eventually passed the TOEFL exam, completed his university studies, and built a career in marketing with multinational corporations.

Nearly 19 years later, Bensaid reached another milestone in March 2026 when he bought a home for his wife, Rano; their daughter, Aya, six; and son, Amine, three. “I came here looking for an opportunity. I found a career, a family, a home and a country that I am deeply grateful to call my second home,” said Bensaid, who lost his father at age eight and grew up in the bustling port city of Tangier.

Today, Bensaid works as an associate marketing director for nutrition brands across the Middle East and North Africa, and spends weekends photographing his family and Dubai’s landscapes.

From Social Media to Community Building

Poppy Owen moved from North Wales with her husband, Benjamin, and their two children in December 2022, seeking a different lifestyle. She did not anticipate that sharing her life online would become a full-fledged career.

With more than 12 years of experience as a business owner, Owen was already familiar with using social media for business growth. After stepping away from business mentoring, she began documenting family weekends in Dubai on YouTube in February 2025. Later that year, she expanded to Instagram and TikTok, offering practical advice to people in the UK considering a move to the UAE.

The response was rapid, with her channels attracting millions of views and messages from people who found her content useful. “I realised I could make a really positive impact just by sharing the knowledge and experiences I’d gained from living here,” she said.

Her online following has also led to real-world connections. In September 2026, she organised Poppy’s Party, a meet-up that brought 300 followers together for coffee, music and children’s entertainment.

At home in DAMAC Hills 2, community is part of daily life. The family walks to the gym and coffee shops, the children ride their bikes to the parks, and weekends often revolve around the Malibu Beach Waterpark. “There’s just so much to do here without even needing to leave the community,” she said.

Owen plans to continue growing her content creation career and hopes to move into a larger villa in DAMAC Hills 2 as her family’s needs evolve.

Transforming Spaces and Lives

Kayleigh Davidson, a resident of DAMAC Hills 1, has seen her creativity survive a change of country, career direction and medium. Originally from north-east England, she moved to Dubai with her husband and two daughters three and a half years ago.

Before relocating, she worked as a special-effects makeup artist, eventually managing the makeup department for an award-winning event. The role involved recruiting artists, leading a team and transforming hundreds of performers.

Since moving to Dubai, her creative attention has shifted towards renovating and redesigning the family’s villas. The connection between the two pursuits, she said, is the instinct to look at something and imagine what it could become. “Whether it’s transforming an actor into a completely different character or transforming a house into a home, I love the process of taking something from an initial idea to a finished result,” she said.

DAMAC Hills 1 has become the setting for the family’s everyday adventures. Their daughters enjoy gymnastics, horse riding and swimming, while the family cycles to school. Her husband has an office within the community, and their adopted dogs have a dog park to enjoy. Neighbours have become friends and, in some cases, family.

Discipline Across Life and Work

Dr Mohammad Baydoun, a Lebanese architect with a PhD in risk management, has always applied the discipline that shapes his professional life to his personal pursuits. He spent 14 years in real estate development in Lebanon before moving to Dubai in 2016. He joined DAMAC Properties in 2018 and has since led development, contributing to the launch of more than AED 200 billion worth of real estate projects.

Martial arts and fitness have remained constants. A two-time Lebanese national karate champion, he has also won CrossFit competitions in Dubai and continues to challenge himself through running, calisthenics and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Living in DAMAC Hills for more than four years has allowed him to build exercise into his everyday routine. The community park is a favourite for outdoor training, while walks around the neighbourhood and time spent with his wife offer a quieter counterbalance to corporate life. At 48, Baydoun is embracing the challenge of being a beginner again in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

“I believe the secret to staying young isn’t avoiding age. It’s refusing to stop learning, moving and challenging yourself,” said the fitness enthusiast, who has over 427,000 followers on Instagram.

What connects these residents with different backgrounds, ambitions and definitions of fulfilment is the role each of their homes and neighbourhoods play in their respective journeys.

DAMAC, the largest private developer in the UAE and Middle East, has delivered 50,000 homes, with another 55,000 under development. Behind those figures are residents building routines, raising children and discovering new pursuits in the places they call home in Dubai.