SAVW: fostering community service

August 16, 2025 / 1:02 PM

Sharjah 24: The Sharjah Award for Voluntary Work (SAVW) instills a spirit of initiative and excellence among school and university students through the "University Student” award for the hghest volunteer articipation" and "Volunteer Knight" award, both of which aim to motivate the younger generation to actively contribute to community service and highlight their role in spreading the culture of volunteering.

"University Student” and "Volunteer Knight” awards

The "University Student” award for the highest volunteer participation targets university students aged 17 to 25 who are not employed. Volunteer work completed during the year of participation, totaling more than 100 hours, must be documented on official volunteer platforms.

The "Volunteer Knight” award for the Highest Volunteer Participation" is open to school students over the age of 13, who must be enrolled in a school and have completed at least 100 volunteer hours through opportunities offered in the community.

During the 22nd edition of the award's Volunteer Honours, held recently under the patronage and attendance of His Highness Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Sharjah, Batoul Saadi Ibrahim Al Najjar won first place in the University Student category after completing 1,943 volunteer hours. Tabarak Saadi Ibrahim Al Najjar won first place in the school student category after completing 1,606 volunteer hours.

Instilling a culture of volunteer work among the young generation

Suad Al Shamsi, Executive Director of SAVW, emphasised that the award seeks to instill a culture of volunteer work among the young generation and support their qualitative contributions in various fields that serve the community.

Al Shamsi noted that volunteering contributes to honing students' skills and fostering a sense of giving and belonging, especially since they represent the future of volunteer work.

Al Shamsi commended the efforts of university students who devote significant time and effort to volunteer work despite their academic commitments. She commended the initiatives of some public and private universities that have adopted volunteer hours as part of their graduation requirements.

Important role of schools

Al Shamsi also commended the role of schools in encouraging students to volunteer within the school environment. She explained that the "Volunteer Knight" award aims to instil the values of volunteer work in children, contributing to the formation of their societal personalities and enhancing their skills and knowledge. She added that the award also organises programmes, lectures, and workshops targeting school students, with the goal of investing their free time in a positive way that benefits them and the community.