Women of Incendia: Embracing Authenticity and Growth – Fathimath Rayya Hilmy
At Incendia, we celebrate women whose journeys reflect resilience, courage, and the power of staying true to oneself. Through our Women of Incendia series, we highlight inspiring Maldivian women who are making their mark in their fields while uplifting those around them.
This edition features Fathimath Rayya Hilmy, widely known among colleagues and friends as Rayya — a vibrant professional whose journey into the corporate world began with an unexpected leap of faith.
A Childhood Shaped by Hard Work and Gratitude
Rayya is originally from Addu City, Hithadhoo, where she was raised by hardworking parents who did everything they could to support their family.
Her upbringing was filled with both love and challenges. Through the struggles, she and her sister shared countless moments together — from difficult days to laughter that made those years memorable.
Watching her parents work tirelessly to provide for their family left a lasting impression on Rayya. Their determination and sacrifices taught her important values that still guide her today.
“Seeing my parents do their absolute best for us taught me resilience, gratitude, and the importance of working hard for what you want in life.”
Finding Her Place in the Corporate World
Today, Rayya serves as an Employee Relations & Engagement Manager at the Bank of Maldives, where she focuses on building strong workplace relationships and fostering employee engagement.
Among colleagues, she is affectionately known as “HR Rayya.”
Her role suits her personality perfectly. Known for her energy and approachability, Rayya thrives in an environment where she can connect with people, understand their perspectives, and create meaningful relationships within the workplace.
A Journey That Began Unexpectedly
Interestingly, Rayya never initially planned to pursue a corporate career.
During her school years, she was more drawn toward creative pursuits and once even considered attending flying school. At the time, she was studying Science with Accounts during her A Levels.
However, life took an unexpected turn when she experienced a serious accident in Addu shortly before her exams. After recovering, she found herself uncertain about the next step in her life.
Around that time, a cousin suggested she move to Malé and apply for an entry-level position at Bank of Maldives. At just 18 years old, Rayya decided to take the chance.
“I thought, ‘Why not? Let’s see where this goes.’”
That simple decision marked the beginning of her corporate journey when she moved to Malé in 2018.
Adjusting to a New Chapter
Leaving her home island and living away from family for the first time was not easy. Adjusting to life in Malé while beginning a full-time job and navigating adulthood brought many challenges.
Settling down took time — including moving houses several times while trying to find stability. Fortunately, Rayya had family members in Malé who supported her during those early years, helping make the transition smoother.
The corporate environment was also new to her. Her energetic and outspoken personality was quite different from what many colleagues were used to, but Rayya remained determined to learn and grow.
Her first role was as a Compensation & Benefits Administrator, where she worked with payroll, reconciliations, and spreadsheets.
In fact, she had never used Excel before that point — she learned it specifically to prepare for her interview.
Everything was new, but Rayya embraced the challenge.
Discovering Her Strength in Human Resources
As she gained experience, Rayya realized that her natural strengths lay in connecting with people.
Building relationships, understanding colleagues, and supporting others came naturally to her. These qualities gradually led her toward a career in Human Resources.
Despite having no formal HR qualifications at first, she remained focused on her goals and continuously worked to develop herself.
While working full-time, she completed her Bachelor’s degree in Business and Human Resource Management, further strengthening her expertise in the field.
Rayya also credits much of her growth to the mentors and managers who guided her throughout her journey.
She speaks fondly of early managers who recognized her potential and encouraged her development, teaching her valuable lessons about communication, discipline, and the importance of listening.
Their mentorship helped shape the professional she is today.
Achievements and Milestones
Rayya’s dedication quickly translated into career growth.
At just 23 years old, she stepped into a managerial role, a milestone that reflected her determination and strong work ethic.
She has also received the Best Divisional Employee Award twice, recognizing her contributions and commitment to her team and organization.
For Rayya, these achievements are not only personal successes but also reminders of the importance of perseverance and continuous learning.
Staying True to Who You Are
One of the most important lessons Rayya shares is the value of authenticity.
Instead of changing her energetic personality to fit the workplace, she learned how to use it as a strength.
Her confidence, openness, and enthusiasm have become defining qualities in her leadership style.
“Your authenticity, your voice, and your confidence are what will make you stand out.”
Advice for Young Women
Rayya’s message to young women striving to make a difference is both practical and empowering.
She acknowledges that life can sometimes feel overwhelming and uncertain. However, she believes those difficult moments are often temporary.
Her advice is to stay focused on growth — continue studying, build skills, seek opportunities, and remain open to learning from criticism.
Most importantly, she encourages young women to believe in themselves and not be afraid to take up space.
“Stay true to yourself. Believe in your goals, keep working towards them, and don’t be afraid to make an impact.”
Celebrating Women Who Lead with Authenticity
At Incendia, we are proud to highlight women like Fathimath Rayya Hilmy — individuals whose journeys show that success is not always linear, but built through courage, learning, and staying true to one’s identity.
Her story is a reminder that sometimes the most unexpected paths lead to the most meaningful destinations.
And that authenticity, resilience, and determination can shape not only careers, but the people and communities we influence along the way.
Full Interview
1- What’s your name?
Hello! I am Rayya 😊 or let’s say Fathimath Rayya Hilmy hehe.
2- Which island are you from?
I am from Addu City, Hithadhoo.
3- What was your upbringing like?
Well, I was brought up by a very hardworking mother and father. There was a lot of love of course, but also a lot of struggles at the same time. Through all of it, my sister and I shared plenty of moments together, from the struggles to the laughterr, which made those years very special.
I always saw my parents doing their absolute best to provide for me with whatever they could, and that really shaped who I am today. It taught me resilience, gratitude, and the importance of working hard for the things you want in life. I am very grateful for them and everything they sacrificed for me.
4- What do you do and what do most people know you for?
I work as an Employee Relations & Engagement Manager at Bank of Maldives. Most people probably know me as “HR Rayya.” Haha.
5- What inspired you to pursue your current path or career?
That’s actually an interesting story. Growing up, I never imagined myself doing a corporate job, especially a desk job. I was always more interested in creative things, and at one point I even thought I would join flying school.
I studied Science with Accounts as my optional subject during A Levels. But right before my exams, I had a terrible accident in Addu. After recovering, I was a bit lost and unsure about what direction life would take next. Around that time, a cousin suggested that I move to Malé and showed me an opening for an entry level job at Bank of Maldives.
At that time, I was just 18 years old. I thought, “Why not? Let’s see where this goes.” I applied, went for the interview, and got the job. That’s how I moved to Malé in 2018.
Moving away from my home island and living apart from my family for the first time was definitely not easy. Adjusting to life in Malé, starting a full time job, and figuring out adulthood all at once was a big change. I honestly don’t even remember how many times I moved houses while settling down here, it feels like quite a few! But I was very lucky to have family in Malé who were always there for me and supported me during those early years, which made the transition much easier.
The corporate world itself was also a bit of a shock for me, and I think my loud and energetic personality might have been a shock to some of my coworkers too. But I have always been very goal oriented and quick to learn. When I first joined, I was working as a Compensation & Benefits Administrator, dealing with Excel, payroll, reconciliations and all that. The funny part is, I actually learned Excel just to prepare for the interview because I had never used it in school before. So everything was completely new to me.
Over time, I realized that I am naturally a people person. Connecting with people, understanding them, and building relationships came very naturally to me. That is when I started realizing that HR was something that truly suited me. And that is really how my journey into Human Resources began.
6- What challenges have you faced, and how did you overcome them?
When I first moved into HR, I didn’t have any formal HR qualifications. Like many people, I sometimes doubted myself and questioned whether I was good enough.
But I am very career focused and I always knew where I wanted to go. I would openly tell my mentors and managers where I wanted to be in two years, and where I wanted to be in five years. Once I set those goals, I worked towards them step by step.
After joining the bank, I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Business and Human Resource Management while working. I also had a very strong support system at work. I was lucky to have mentors and managers who guided me whenever I felt lost.
Maiz and Shai were among my first managers, they were patient with my loud and energetic personality but still saw potential in me. Asiyath and Ashraf taught me the importance of communicating strategically, discipline and, most importantly, the power of listening.
Those lessons really helped shape the professional I am today. And random fact, I landed my managerial role at the age of 23 and have received the Best Divisional Employee Award twice so far. Hopefully more to come!
7- What’s one piece of advice you’d give to young women striving to make a difference?
Sometimes it may feel like your entire world is falling apart. But most of the time, those moments are temporary.
Focus on your goals. Study. Build your knowledge and your skills. Take opportunities when they come. Listen to criticism with an open mind and use it to grow.
And most importantly, stay true to yourself. I never changed my personality to fit into the workplace. Instead, I learned how to use it as a strength. Your authenticity, your voice, and your confidence are what will make you stand out.
So believe in yourself, keep working towards your goals, and don’t be afraid to take up space and make an impact.
