In order to contribute to drawing a smile on the faces of children in Zanzibar and make a positive change in their lives, the members of the Sharjah Girl Guides Commission led a campaign to build and develop a school for young people during a visit organized by the Commission to the Republic of Tanzania, during the period between 1 and 7 August, The capacity and capacity of associates to assist children and young people in need and deprived of their basic rights.
The trip came in collaboration with the UAE-based Al-Amal Volunteer Foundation, which is dedicated to identifying and assisting the needs of different communities around the world, and began visiting eight UNHCR staff to the village of Jandali, on the outskirts of Zanzibar. Lack of adequate infrastructure and space to accommodate the numbers and needs of students, as the school is a refuge for students with the presence of another school away from them eight kilometers, forcing them to travel the distance daily to reach.
Since their arrival, the members have taken over the task of repairing and developing the primary school kitchen as a result of the lack of basic facilities that help the school to perform its daily tasks, which is the making of fresh soup for kindergartens.
The volunteers participated in various construction works, such as digging, pumping water, in addition to making and laying bricks, and during the volunteering trip, they participated in many cultural and educational trips, which allowed them to join the local community and gain a lot of experience and rich knowledge about local communities. The participants were awarded the Bader Happiness Zanzibar badge after completing the trip in recognition of their efforts.
For her part, Director of the Sharjah Girl Guides, Sheikha Al Shamsi, said that the trip was organized with the aim of consolidating the spirit of volunteerism and love of help among the members, in addition to acquiring many life skills and new knowledge that enrich their personal and practical lives.
“The volunteers were satisfied with their contribution to the development of the learning environment provided to the students in the village. This feeling will remain with them throughout their lives and affect their future choices. Through these initiatives, we seek to make the Sharjah Girl Guides an integrated center for the development and empowerment of girls by providing All new tools and ways to learn and build capacity ».
According to a 2016 UNICEF report, 42.5 percent of Zanzibar's population is under the age of 18, and about 12 percent of primary-school-age children do not go to school. Education, followed by distance to reach schools.
Shaikha Al Shamsi:
“Through these initiatives, we seek to make UNHCR an integrated center for girls' development and empowerment by providing all new tools and ways of learning and capacity building.”