HER HIGHNESS SHEIKHA JAMEELA AL QASIMI VISITS THE CONSTRUCTION SITE OF SCHS NEW BUILDINGS
Thanks to the unlimited support of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Honorary President of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS), SCHS was able to assume the status of global excellence. SCHS has been offering the best services based on the best practices as a leading organization of persons with disabilities, working to empower, include, and advocate them as well as raising people’s awareness of their issues.
Today, SCHS stands on the threshold of a promising stage, which is one of the results of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah support. Her Highness Sheikha Jameela bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Director General of SCHS, visited the construction site of SCHS new buildings in (Al-Badi Suburb). Her Highness conducted a meeting with the engineers of the Ministry of Infrastructure Development, a consultant, the project contractor, and a number of SCHS officials. They discussed the latest developments in the new buildings site.
Her Highness Sheikha Jameela directed her sincerest thanks to His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, for his parental care and continuous support. His Highness granted the piece of land on which SCHS new premises will take place. Her Highness has confirmed that since its establishment in 1979, SCHS made many accomplishments due to the unlimited support of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan and his constant advocacy for the rights of persons with disabilities.
The current project, which started in November 2019, constitutes the first phase of the construction process with an area of 100,000 square meters. It includes four buildings: the Administration Building, a Library, and Al-Wafa School for Capacity Development, and Sharjah Autism Center, while the total area of the project land is 575 thousand square meters.
The total cost of construction works for the first phase is approximately 134 million. The initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, contributed 80 million of it. SCHS would cover the rest, knowing that the project cost in all its stages amounts to 500 million dirhams.
The Director General of SCHS praised His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the State, initiatives to establish and develop the basic facilities of SCHS. She confirmed SCHS keenness on innovative initiatives in accordance with the best international practices. The new buildings will be environment friendly with a greater capacity to accommodate the increasing demand for services in line with the latest technologies.
Sheikha Jameela said, “The services of education and rehabilitation that SCHS has been offering to its students for forty-one years need dedication and perseverance. These two factors played an important role in SCHS's continued fulfillment of its mission. Its cooperation with individuals and institutions was an example to follow in social solidarity. We hope this cooperation continue and become more effective”.
The new buildings provide an attractive educational environment that achieves the principles of Universal Design. It targets students, their families and workers in addition to volunteers and researchers, which creates an inclusive and accessible environment according to the highest international standards.
In light of the increasing demand for SCHS services, Her Highness Sheikha Jameela believes in the importance of the notion that the design and the facilities of the new buildings should keep pace with the deep and noble content of these services. On the other hand, it must strengthening SCHS's commitment to the future with strategic plans.
The project design depended on scientific research and learning about the international best practices in the areas of engineering and operational processes for education, rehabilitation and supportive services. Therefore, SCHS continues with its efforts to consolidate the relationships of cooperation with local, regional, and international bodies and organizations in order to offer the best services to persons with disabilities in every area of life.
Since its establishment, SCHS has been working to keep abreast of the latest practices and achieve competitiveness in the field of services provided to persons with disabilities, in accordance with best practices in cooperation with local and international partners. In addition, SCHS has been raising people’s awareness of disability issues, leading to societal inclusion and the best results.
In January 2018, SCHS launched the campaign (We are all responsible) with the aim of consolidating the principles of social responsibility and opening the door for individuals, institutions and supporters to contribute to the construction of SCHS’s new buildings, as the outcome of the campaign approached (one million dirhams).