ABU DHABI // Twenty teenage orphans from Al Ain start volunteer community work today in a pilot scheme to help them integrate with society and show their appreciation for the care they have received. The boys and girls aged between 16 and 18 are from Dar Zayed, an institution set up by the late President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to care for orphans and abandoned children.
They will spend three months doing a variety of community work including helping in hospitals, renovating schools and delivering aid to Emirati families during Ramadan. Saoud al Kumzy, the general manager of Dar Zayed, said the scheme was vital part of the children's integration into society. "It's very important that they do not feel isolated", he said. "They are all extremely excited to start the programme. If it is successful then we will look to extend the volunteering to the other children."
The scheme has been arranged in co-ordination with the Takatof programme of the Emirate's Foundation, which co-ordinates volunteer projects in the country and abroad to foster community spirit, particularly among Emirati youth. Dar Zayed is a community of 20 villas in Al Khazna, where 388 orphans live with full-time supervisors and receive education, healthcare and life-long support. Maytha al Habsi, who co-ordinates Takatof's volunteer schemes, said the programme will give the 20 orphans a chance to give something back to society after years of being cared for and nurtured by Dar Zayed.
"It will give them a sense of responsibility for their community. If you're given the opportunity to give back it creates confidence and self-worth," she said. "Takatof is extremely excited about the partnership." The Emirates Foundation launched Takatof in April 2007 to raise awareness of community needs, empower individual Emiratis and encourage them to participate in volunteering opportunities.
In its first project 150 volunteers renovated a rundown school in Fujairah. It now has more than 3,000 registered volunteers, mostly Emirati youths from all over the country, but including some expatriates. Ms Habsi said the number of volunteers was growing every month and the challenge was to continue to create engaging new projects. Takatof will work closely with staff at Dar Zayed to ensure the psychological background of the orphans is taken into account when assigning them to volunteer programmes and their progress will be closely monitored, but Ms Habsi said special volunteer schemes would not be created for them.
"We want them to engage with our activities," she said. "At the end of the three months we will analyse how they have changed - did they make friends? If it works well then we will engage more youths from Dar Zayed in the programme." loatway@thenational.ae