SCHS BRANCH IN KALLBA ORGANIZED THE VIRTUAL FORUM "SERVICES PROVIDED
Her Excellency Sheikha Jamila bint Muhammad Al Qasimi, Director General of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services (SCHS), said that SCHS, since it started its work in 1979, has carried over forty years of dreams, ambitions and great challenges. Perhaps the most important of these challenges is to ensure that services reach the people of the Emirate of Sharjah regardless of their locations, and the things that comes with it such as environmental and societal differences. This makes the services that SCHS provide each time renewable and adapts to the needs of the local community.
She is so proud that SCHS Kallba branch translated the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, when he honored the opening of branch building on Wednesday, November 15, 2006. At that day, His Highness confirmed that Sharjah is moving forward in providing care and attention to persons with disabilities. SCHS is seeking to secure services that enable them to become active members in their society.
Her Excellency added, “More than 15 years after the opening of the branch, we meet today within the activities of the virtual forum for services provided to people with disabilities in local institutions in Kallba city, to celebrate our joint achievement with partners and support institutions. Moreover, we emphasize their active role in enabling persons with disabilities to access various services and to provide all facilities necessary to ensure their independence and integration into society”.
The Director General of SCHS referred to the announcement of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, may God protect him, that the year 2022 will be the year of Kallba. He called on everyone so that the events of the forum constitute a cornerstone for the joint contribution to the development vision of the Emirate of Sharjah in general and the city of Kallba in particular. His Highness wants to draw the horizons and aspirations for the future through partnership and cooperation.
Based on the theme of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which the world celebrates on December 3, every year, Her Excellency Sheikha Jamila Al Qasimi stressed the importance of involving persons with disabilities in planning. The world must give them the right to lead their own future and ensure their participation to reach an inclusive, accessible and sustainable world for all.
This happened at the opening of the virtual forum "Services provided to people with disabilities at the level of government and private institutions in the city of Kallba", which the branch organized on Wednesday, December 8, 2021, in cooperation with the University of Sharjah Kallba branch under the theme (a comprehensive world). The forum aims at achieving the principle of justice for people with disabilities and empowering them in the field of education by providing appropriate education and comprehensive development of capabilities in the least restrictive environment. This starts from the pre-school stage through the various stages of education and vocational preparation and rehabilitation centers to their integration into society.
One of the objectives of the forum, which is the first of its kind in Kallba, is to create and raise societal awareness of the rights of persons with disabilities, activate community partnerships, and coordinate with specialized agencies to learn and share experiences on the latest developments and global practices. To conclude her opening speech, Her Excellency the Director General of SCHS thanked all the speakers, partners and supporters, and the Kallba branch team, managed by Dr. Asma Al Darmaki, for working hard to prepare for this forum.
Deputy Assistant Director of the University for Branch Affairs, Dr. Ali Al Zaabi, gave a speech in which he praised SCHS’s organization of the forum and its efforts in providing services to people with disabilities. He has confirmed that cooperation between Kallba branch and the University of Sharjah continues for all that is good for students with disabilities.
Al-Zaabi called on all institutions and individuals to support the services provided by SCHS to persons with disabilities, each according to their position, ability and capabilities. He directed his sincerest thanks to Her Excellency Sheikha Jamila bint Muhammad Al Qasimi and to all workers in SCHS and its branch in Kallba. He wished them good luck and success.
Forum Sessions
The first session of the forum came under the title “Awareness and Prevention of Disability”. Dr. Asma Al Darmaki, Director of SCHS Kallba branch gave a presentation on awareness and prevention of disability. She talked about general goals such as empowerment through providing direct educational and rehabilitation services to all members of society and limiting disability and its impact through detection. Early diagnosis and provision of rehabilitation services as soon as possible, improving the quality of life of community members and increasing the chances of their integration into educational programs and social life by enhancing their abilities and skills. In addition to raising community members’ awareness of the latest educational and rehabilitation practices, programs and techniques through training workshops, lectures, consultations. SCHS will expand the scope of its services to cover the largest possible number of segments of society that do not fit the timings of the morning services.
Dr. Asmaa also talked about the screening and early detection program and the most important procedures followed within this program. It starts from the evaluation process to providing services to children transferred from the program and promoting the concept of inclusion. She stressed that the number of children included in the program in government nurseries for the academic year 2019/2020 has reached (675) children.
The director of the city branch also talked about the services provided by the Department of Visual Impairment such as visual screening and early detection. The most important achievements of the White Cane activity, educational services and follow-up of the integrated students. She stressed that 170 students have benefited so far from the Visual Impairment Department, Hearing Aid Center and Treatment Center.
In the second session, Deputy Assistant Rector for Branch Affairs, Dr. Ali Al-Zaabi, spoke about “Serving University Students with Disabilities” and ensuring their education in accordance with the best international practices. In the third session, Kallba Sports and Cultural Director Dr. Khaled Saif Al-Zaabi spoke about “Sports Programs and their Role in Refining Talents of Students with Disabilities”.
In the fourth session, the director of Al-Shifa School, Bint Abdullah Amira Al-Ahabash, spoke about the reality of inclusive education. The fifth session was about accessibility, in which the Director of the Public Works Department in Kallba, Eng. Bashayer Al-Mansoori spoke.
On behalf of the director of Kallba Municipality, the Head of Institutional Communication, Amna Belhaj, spoke in the sixth session about public services provided to persons with disabilities. In the seventh session, Dr. Mansour Al Shamsi spoke about human resources discussing the “right to employment” for people with disabilities. In the eighth session, Major Fahd Al-Lughai spoke on behalf of Kallba Comprehensive Police Center, which is an affiliate of the General Command of Sharjah Police, on the security and safety of persons with disabilities.
The ninth session, in which Dr. Adhari Al Kaabi from Kallba Health Center, talked about the health of people with disabilities. Mrs. Abdul Rahman Al Darmaki, Director of Social Services, who discussed the services provided by the department to people with disabilities, concluded the last session.
The forum witnessed the display of a film about the branch of Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services in Kallba and its services, programs and activities provided for people with disabilities in accordance with best practices.
Accordingly, the virtual forum "Services provided to persons with disabilities at the level of government and private institutions in the city of Kallba" emphasized the active role of these institutions in enabling persons with disabilities to access various services, and to provide all the necessary facilities to ensure their independence and inclusion in society.