59-year-old Jameela Runo Dikhoro, the Viral Nanny, affectionately known as Mama Jameela, From just proclaiming her passion for cooking, has morphed into a social media icon across the UAE and the rest of the world. The Indonesian nanny who has been serving this emirate for more than three decades became irresistible to everybody with videos of her cooking cuisine amassing over 200,000 fans on TikTok, among other platforms.
Mama Jameela rose to fame from nothing short of inspiring circumstances. Born in Indonesia in 1965, she experienced a terrible life after losing her mother when she was still seven years old. Growing up in poverty, she even worked on farms and performed as a domestic helper even at such a young age. In search of better opportunity, Jameela moved to Saudi Arabia when she was young, and later, in 1993, settled down in the UAE and began working for an Emirati family that became her second family.
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It was at their instance that she took to social media to upload cooking videos that feature a mix of both traditional Middle Eastern and global dishes. Her content, shot in Arabic, reflects her personal space, like her real kitchen, where she cooks machboos Lebanese, pasta, and other staples using spicy fragrance and fresh ingredients in most places. Jameela’s deep appreciation for the Arabic tongue which she raises from her service for Arab families, and, while studying the Quran, to most of her contents.
In two short years, Mama Jameela has become the most popular face, known not only for her recipes but for their warmth and positive energy. “I feel happy, joyful, and loved by people,” she says in describing her unexpected rise to fame. She is looking forward to taking this love to as many people as possible with her recipes.
