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Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is preparing for the third phase of its Ruwad initiative to support orphans. This initiative was inaugurated by DEWA last month as part of its strategy to support creativity and innovation among orphans. It supports the UAE Initiative to connect with orphans and minors, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai. Members of the Ruwaad programme, launched by DEWA, have returned home after spending 6 days in Singapore where they completed phase two of the programme. Ruwaad programme supports the UAE Initiative for Connection with Orphans and Minors, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. 

The programme, launched in collaboration with the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (AMAF) and INJAZ UAE Foundation, also supports DEWA’s strategy to promote creativity and innovation. The students expressed their happiness with the great experience they had in Singapore, underlining the enriching aspects both personally and practically, as they acquired new skills to help them serve their country in different areas, particularly in society. The students also praised the relentless efforts by staff from DEWA, AMAF and INJAZ UAE who accompanied them during the journey since their departure on 14 August until their return on 20 August 2015. “Based on DEWA’s unwavering belief in the boundless abilities of the UAE youth, we realise the necessity for building youth capacities and preparing a new Emirati generation perfectly able to take the lead and contribute to their country’s progress and advancement in all fields. 

DEWA provides an innovation-enabling environment and launches a wide variety of programmes, initiatives and scholarships for Emirati students who will assume the future responsibility of working on UAE’s ambitious plans and strategies. DEWA actively engages in innovative programmes to support the UAE Vision 2021 to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world and the Dubai Plan 2021 to make Dubai a city of happy, creative, and empowered people. We do this for a better tomorrow for generations to come,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA. “Ruwaad programme students have been good ambassadors for their country. 

They demonstrated that UAE youth are highly capable of taking leadership, driving innovation and assuming personal and social responsibility through their creative ideas that will definitely contribute to achieving the vision of our wise leadership for the UAE to reach the top position,” added Al Tayer. “We are proud of our partnership with DEWA which falls under the strategic cooperation among Dubai government entities to support the UAE Initiative to connect with orphans and minors, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The Ruwad initiative launched by DEWA will contribute to strengthening the capabilities of the sons and daughters of the foundation, equip them with more skills and knowledge and better integrating them into the community to contribute in building the nation and reinforcing its global position as well as promoting the overall sustainable development taking place in Dubai,” said HE Tayeb Al Rais, Secretary General of Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation in Dubai. 

 Praising the Ruwad initiative launched by DEWA, HE Khalid Al Thani, Deputy Secretary General of Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation in Dubai, stressed the need of collaboration among all official and community parties to support orphans and minors to be key-contributors in society. “We commend DEWA’s support to the UAE Initiative to connect with orphans and minors, and we see that social responsibility programmes implemented by DEWA pertaining to empowering orphans and minors in particular have received a very positive response from our sons and daughters in the organisation as well as from their parents. Such programmes help the foundation in its drive in upbringing members of an important category of the community and enable them to succeed in different stages of their lives,” he added. 

 Participating students expressed their delight with their unique experience in Singapore, both personally as well as professionally. They said that this experience plays an instrumental role in assisting them to serve their communities and the wider country in several aspects, notably in social work. They also commended the efforts made by their supervisors who supported them throughout their trip. “The primary strategic objective of the programme is to develop principles of innovation, creativity and leadership in community work not to mention promoting creative thinking that will support the society, particularly among young people,” said Rashid Subeihat. “The programme allowed the development and implementation of creative ideas as well as turning them into sustainable projects, as there were many lessons learned in areas such as the alignment of environmental considerations into the development planning process, to create environmentally friendly economy and green community,” said Waed Abdullah. “We realised the importance of adopting sustainability in community projects and applying global management practices in managing small businesses. 

I firmly believe that sustainability plays a crucial role in creativity and innovation, where any innovation that does not abide by the principles of sustainability and social responsibility isn’t really innovative,” said Abdulaziz Al Samadi. “It was a matter of pride that I represented the UAE identity in several international occasions via the ‘Ruwaad Programme’. I worked with the rest of the team to highlight our local identity and great legacy,” said Aysha Salem. “Participating in such international programmes with other colleagues from different cultures allowed us to acquire vocational skills and discover the requirements of the workplace.

We were also able to explore methods to develop our expertise through the ‘Ruwaad Programme’ that fosters creative ideas,” said Alyaziah Abdullah. Ruwaad is a three-phase, innovation-driven programme. Phase one of the programme was organised in Dubai and included 60 students. It focused on nurturing students’ confidence through a series of interactive activities and knowledge programmes in leadership, talent and skill development, social leadership, and research basics including brainstorming and teamwork. 

Ten male and ten female students were selected based on their outstanding performance to move on to phase two of the programme, a six-day world-class training programme in Singapore. The first two days included orientation tours that introduced students to Singapore’s landmarks and culture with field visits to the National Museum of Singapore, the Botanic Gardens, the National Orchid Garden, Singapore River, Chinatown, the Arab Street, and Little India. On the third day, students went to General Electric’s Office to take part in the I-Camp Innovation Work shop with 20 Singaporean students. 

Students were divided into groups and worked together to provide solutions for business challenges under the supervision of private company coaches in Singapore. Later, students went on a night safari. On the fourth day, students participated in a workshop hosted by Junior Achievement Singapore to give them insight on how they can action their community service ideas upon their return to the UAE. At the workshop, they were introduced to the skills of entrepreneurship, innovation, critical thinking, and teamwork. To put the knowledge they learned into practice, Singaporean and Emirati students visited Sun Love Home for the Elderly on the fifth day. During the visit, Emirati and Singaporean students taught elderly students how to create products from recycled material as part of the Junior Achievement programme. 

The activity was twofold: the social aspect, enacted by helping the elderly, and the environmental, recycling aspect. In the afternoon, the Ruwaad team visited Sentosa Island Universal Studios. The Ruwaad students flew back to the UAE on the sixth day on Emirates Airlines. Phase three of Ruwaad programme will include educational and awareness courses at DEWA’s state-of-the-art facilities in Jebel Ali centres, the Sustainable Building in Al Quoz, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, DEWA Academy, and the Mai Dubai factory.