Sharjah Encourages Specialist Volunteering by Employees of Various Government Institutions

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486 INDIVIDUALS VOLUNTEERS SUPPORTED EMIRATE’S

CAMPAIGN AGAINST COVID-19 BETWEEN MARCH AND MAY

 

The Sharjah Executive Council, headed by HH Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, has approved an exceptional sabbatical leave with full pay for the Sharjah government employees to offer volunteer work supporting various sectors, especially during crises and disasters and epidemics.

The Sharjah Volunteer Centre, in coordination with the Emirate’s Volunteering Committee, offered 37 volunteering opportunities for 486 individuals between March and May 2020, with the total volunteering hours exceeding more than 15,000 hours. Besides, the Centre has registered around 1900 volunteers who are both competent and passionate to offer their services for the community and the United Arab Emirates.

In view of the importance of volunteer work and its impact on society, especially during crises and emergencies such as the Covid-19, the need for support by members of society specialising in certain areas becomes all the more significant and an urgent necessity, said Afaf Al Marri, Head of the Social Services Department in Sharjah. In this connection, the Sharjah Volunteering Committee has presented a legislative proposal that supports volunteers and organisations that they may like to volunteer with, especially in confronting the Coronavirus epidemic.

The Center worked by providing various voluntary opportunities to strengthen the concept of social responsibility among members of society, especially during crises and disasters, while ensuring the necessity to follow the preventive regulations and guidelines introduced by the UAE to confront the Coronavirus threat.

Afaf al Marri stressed the necessity of strengthening the volunteer work system and emphasising its importance, especially during disasters and national emergencies, and educating all members of society and encouraging them to participate actively by providing them with voluntary opportunities.

She called for expanding volunteering opportunities by including virtual volunteering along with field volunteering, general volunteering, and specialist volunteering to counter the Covid-19 epidemic in the country.

Al Marri said: "Volunteering plays a pivotal role in enhancing the meaning of community cooperation and interdependence and increases social interaction between individuals, and highlighting the concept of social responsibility that supports the effectiveness of government action and increases its efficiency.”

She added: “We in the United Arab Emirates are keen to prepare the individual and train him or her for the national response in times of emergencies, crises and disasters. In the past, such volunteering contribution by individuals has played a critical role in supporting and strengthening the efforts of the UAE government.”

Volunteering opportunities

Over the past few months, the Social Services Department provided four major volunteering opportunities, namely Baraka Al Dar, Stay Safe, Cohesion and Giving Fund.

The Baraka Al Dar initiative aimed to promote greater cohesion and communication between the community members and the elderly. The Stay Safe mission saw the Department distributing sterilisation kits to community members.

As part of the Closer Together initiative the support was provided to elderly citizens and residents over the age of 60.

Through the Giving Fund, the Social Services Department distributed more than 2,000 food boxes to the needy.

Sharjah Cooperative Society

The Sharjah Cooperative Society provided a number of volunteering opportunities, such as "Shopping comfortably and safely", with the aim of helping the shopping at 80%. The "Aoun" initiative worked to support the needy families in the Emirate by preparing 4000 food baskets.

Ministry of Health initiatives

The Ministry of Health and Community Protection also launched a number of volunteering initiatives such as "Tackle the Coronavirus pandemic by mandate", the "first line of defence" and the "United Home - Special volunteer", and "Together we join together - specialist volunteering", and "Confronting Coronavirus pandemic," "Musandoun - Specialized Voluntarism", and the "We Are All Homeland" unveiled by the Sharjah Medical Zone of the Ministry of Health and Community Protection.

Sharjah Charity Association

The Sharjah Charity Association through the "Learn for Homeland" initiative distributed smart tablets to the families of the needy to support them to continue distance learning without any obstacles. The Auqaf Department has also reached out by reviving the support for the needy during the Covid-19 crisis through volunteering on social media as part of the "volunteer to stop" initiative.

The Sharjah Police General Headquarters (Community Police) launched an initiative to "tackle the Corona pandemic to ensure the safety of individuals in quarantine and to assure them of the need to adhere to the preventive measures against the virus and limit its spread.

Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education, through the "Learn for our country" initiative, has been working to ensure that male and female students have access to textbooks to pursue distance learning under the current circumstances.

It is worth noting that Sharjah has a long and illustrious history of voluntary initiatives for the greater good of the nation and its people. The legislative support encouraging voluntary work by individuals is the most important pillar of support for such community initiatives in the Emirate. Sharjah has been the first Emirate to honour and encourage voluntary work since 2001 through the Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work, and expanding its categories to include most groups -- individuals, institutions and people with disabilities, needy families, students, the elderly and others.