May 05 2024
Ma’an opens Desert Shield Fitness Gym for People of Determination in Abu Dhabi
Fri 11 Nov 2022
Abu Dhabi: In the presence of His Highness Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Zayed Higher Organization (ZHO), the Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an opened the ‘Desert Shield gymnasium for People of Determination at the Zayed port in Abu Dhabi.
With diverse and inclusive sports activities and an active programme of community events, the gym is the first facility of its kind in the UAE and will provide an ideal venue for People of Determination to develop their sporting, social and interpersonal skills.
The opening event drew the participation of His Excellency Dr. Mugheer Khamis Al Khaili, Chairman of the Department of Community Development (DCD), His Excellency Abdulla Abdulalee Alhumaidan, General Secretary of ZHO, His Excellency Eng. Hamad Ali Al Dhaheri, Undersecretary of the Department of Community Development (DCD) and Her Excellency Salama AlAmeemi, Director-General of Ma’an, as well as senior officials from AD Ports Group, Abu Dhabi Sports Council (ADSC), UAE Football Association (UAEFA), Family Development Foundation (FDF) and the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA).
The gymnasium is an outstanding example of a successful partnership between the public, private and third sectors and demonstrates the creativity and social enterprise nurtured by the first cohort of Ma’an Social Incubator (MSI) which focused on the People of Determination (POD). Ma’an supported the project through its Grants Programme and recognized it with Ma’an Social Certificate.
Desert Shield focuses on empowering PODs lives, enhancing their wellbeing and inclusion into the mainstream society.
H.E. Salama Al Ameemi, the Director General of Ma’an, said: “With the empowerment of People of Determination being a top priority for the Department of Community Development, the launch of the Desert Shield gym signals our determination to drive social enterprises and accelerate innovation to tackle social challenges. Through the convergence of material support from community, social work of non-profit organisations, and corporate social responsibility of the private sector, we seek to better serve the needs of any important segment of the community, while achieving our broader vision of building a collaborative communities.”
Al Ameemi added: “At Ma’an, we will continue to prioritise creative entrepreneurship and business-focused solutions that support Abu Dhabi’s social priorities and make a real difference to the lives of its people.”
Her Excellency Dr. Layla Alhyas, Executive Director of the Community Development Sector at DCD, lauded the Ma’an Authority for its relentless efforts in launching a fully equipped inclusive gym in accordance with the Abu Dhabi Strategy for People of Determination which aims to empower these individuals and ensure their participation in a variety of fields – including educational, cultural, social, and occupational fields. The strategy also strives to offer them all the requisite services and resources which cater to their requirements as well as match their capabilities.
HE stated that the services offered by sports facilities should be made available to all segments of the society, including the people of determination, and is required to effectively suit their needs and requirements. Alhyas further asserted that these services and similar initiatives greatly aid in empowering these individuals and offer them various chances to become more involved in society, thereby ensuring their happiness and meeting their requirements.
Alhyas also highlighted the DCD’s commitment to collaborate with partners involved in this initiative to enhance the inclusion of people of determination in multiple domains and raise their standard of living. This will enable the Department to achieve its core objective of building a society that involves everyone, as well as place Abu Dhabi as a city that encourages and supports people of determination, she added.
Saif Al Mazrouei, Chief Executive Officer of the Ports Cluster at AD Ports Group, said: “AD Ports Group’s participation in this event aligns with the Group’s commitment to its social role. We aim to support and develop the capabilities of the Emirati community, to enable them to contribute further towards the nation’s advancement and prosperity, in accordance with the directions of our wise leadership aimed at strengthening Abu Dhabi’s position globally.”
The MSI is a dynamic and emerging hub for social impact projects in Abu Dhabi that encourages imaginative solutions that address the full spectrum of social, cultural, and environmental challenges. Through a biannual call for new cohorts, the Incubator offers resources and support in the form of investments, learning and development, mentorship, and networking opportunities to up to twelve successful applicants to help them to innovate, grow, and thrive.
By acting as a nexus for public, private and ‘third’ sector-level enterprise and investment, Ma’an is enabling a new generation of innovators to devise solutions for pressing social challenges such as access to sports facilities. Through targeted initiatives to help drive enterprise, build cohesive communities, empower individuals, and encourage personal responsibility, the Authority is delivering profound and positive impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of individuals living in Abu Dhabi, including People of Determination, families, senior citizens, orphans and students.
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About Ma’an
Founded in February 2019 by the Department of Community Development Abu Dhabi, the Authority of Social Contribution – Ma’an drives social innovation and builds a culture of social contribution and participation to address social priorities in the Abu Dhabi Emirate. Ma’an brings together the government, private sector and civil society with the objective of supporting innovative solutions and contributing to the development of strong, active, collaborative and inclusive communities.
The Authority has launched several pioneering programmes through its five pillars of work – Social Impact Bonds, Social Incubator and Accelerator programme, Social Investment Fund, Community Engagement and Outreach Management to deliver solutions and make life-changing differences for Abu Dhabi residents. To this end, Ma’an provides resources and support to seed and grow community-based organisations, raise and allocate funds towards community-based organisations and social initiatives, and promote community engagement and a culture of volunteering. Ma’an is a ‘Ghadan 21’ accelerator programme initiative, supporting Abu Dhabi to become one of the best places in the world to invest, live, work and visit.
For more information on Ma’an, visit maan.gov.ae. or keep up to date with the latest news and events on:
