Inspired by her grandfather’s struggle with Alzheimer’s, American School of Dubai student Ghaliya Wahby developed the Alzimate platform to help families reconnect through familiar faces, voices and cherished memories. The project has already attracted more than 400 users, with ambitions to reach families worldwide.
DUBAI: When Ghaliya Wahby’s grandfather began forgetting his grandchildren’s names, the Grade 12 student faced a painful question: could familiar photographs, voices and stories help him reconnect with the family he loved? That experience inspired the Alzimate platform, a web-based space designed to bring cherished memories and family information together.
A student at the American School of Dubai, Ghaliya developed the project after witnessing the effects of Alzheimer’s disease within her own family. She has since lost her grandfather, but hopes that what began as a personal idea can support other families facing similar challenges.
How familiar memories could help
Families and caregivers can use the service to create personal profiles with photographs, names, relationships, voice recordings, favourite music and stories. They can update the content over time, giving their loved ones an accessible place to revisit familiar people and meaningful moments.
The Alzimate platform also provides space for medication details and other practical information. Ghaliya wanted it to feel comforting rather than clinical, combining emotional connections with everyday support for those caring for someone with Alzheimer’s.
Her inspiration came partly from family gatherings where her grandfather struggled to work out who was around him. Instead of simply enjoying the occasion, he was trying to piece together relationships that had once been familiar.
“When I looked at him, I could still see in his eyes that he knew who I was,” Ghaliya recalled. The difficulty of seeing him struggle to remember her name remained with her, even as their shared memories stayed vivid in her own mind.
More than 400 users and a bigger ambition
Since its launch, Alzimate has attracted more than 400 users, according to Ghaliya. She sees that milestone as an opportunity to hear directly from families about what works, what is missing and how the service could become easier to use.
She wants to keep the service free and eventually make it available to millions of people worldwide. For now, feedback matters more than numbers because every family experiences Alzheimer’s differently.
Beyond the project, Ghaliya hopes to study industrial engineering and keep developing solutions to overlooked everyday problems. Her approach is rooted in noticing a challenge close to home and using technology to respond with care.
Impact to expect
In the UAE, the Alzimate platform highlights how young innovators can develop accessible tools inspired by family experiences. While it is not a treatment for Alzheimer’s or a guarantee of improved recognition, its personalised reminders may offer families another way to share stories, prepare for visits and maintain a sense of connection.
