Sharjah 24: Sharjah Social Empowerment Foundation (SSEF), in cooperation with the Community Service Department at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), organised "Programming Adventures" workshops, training 36 children affiliated with SSEF on the basics of electronic programming, as part of the "Teach with Pen" project, which provides a series of diverse academic and knowledge services to contribute to supporting and sustaining the right of orphan students to education.
The workshops were presented by a group of AUS volunteer students, specialising in engineering and computer science, where the focus was on developing the children's skills in the aspect of designing programming for electronic games, and providing them with the basic steps for programming and learning various ideas and techniques to implement creative designs.
The Foundation continues to offer training workshops over a month and a half at a weekly rate at the university headquarters, in order to improve sustainable quality in educational services, and support and develop their skills in the academic aspect.
Nawal Al Hamdi, Director of the Social Welfare Department, said that workshops’ participants enjoyed diverse basic activities in the arts of design and electronic programming, which motivates children to be creative and innovative, develop their experiences and provide them with technologies that satisfy their inspiration. She added that workshops are concerned with developing students’ educational capabilities in developmental fields that contribute to the academic advancement of children and develop their skills.
Al Hamdi confirmed that workshops are within the developmental courses programme provided throughout the year for children affiliated with the Foundation, which is one of the basic services in the “Teach by Pen” project aimed at empowering and supporting the education of orphans. The Foundation is keen to harness all capabilities and provide integrated and continuous educational care for orphan students, as SSEF believes that investing in the education of orphans is an investment for the entire community.
Al Hamdi stated that SSEF appreciates the cooperation and efforts of all those in charge of the workshops from administrators and supervisors and AUS students; their continuous contribution to supporting the Foundation’s programmes; and their pioneering role to serve the Foundation’s goals, and benefit orphans.
Salsabeel Shapsough, academic advisor and lab instructor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at AUS stated that the IEEE SIGHT Student Club believes in the power of technology to improve lives and develop society, and the Code Quest initiative is evidence of this vision. She added that students are making a real impact by providing SSEF members with basic skills in computing and game development, which enhances creativity and opens doors to future opportunities. It is inspiring to see the enthusiasm and growth in the minds of these children, and the AUS is proud to be part of their journey.
Professor Aisha Al Raisi, Director of Community Service and Corporate Communications at AUS said that the university always strives to serve orphans affiliated with SSEF, and to benefit from the academic expertise of the university’s students in developing the skills of orphans. In turn, the AUS extends its thanks to SSEF for providing AUS students with the opportunity to serve the community.” The “Teach with Pen” project is a fertile field full of many supportive services for SSEF children, in recognition of the importance of the educational aspect and its important role in creating a better future for orphans, by providing a diverse range of educational and cognitive sponsorships that contribute to supporting orphans academically and empowering them in all their educational stages, whether in school or university, in order to achieve sustainability in students’ right to education.
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