A summer camp with a difference

abu dhabi — Teenage Emirati volunteers eager to develop their creative and social skills were invited to take part in the first summer camp of the Emirates Foundation’s Takatof programme.

The camp, which took place on August 17-24, attracted many young Emiratis aged between 15 and 18 years, who were trained on emergency response mechanism, leadership skills, recycling, photography and several other day-to-day assistance activities that help develop a sense of civic and social responsibility.

“We have a moral duty towards this young generation and we devote our time and efforts to play an important role to empower them and provide them with the necessary skills that would enable them to give back to their communities and create positive social impact,” said Maytha Al Habsi, chief programmes officer at the Emirates Foundation.

Takatof is a voluntary social programme designed by the Emirates Foundation to foster a culture of volunteering throughout the different society segments in the UAE.

The young volunteers are often seen at festivals, large exhibitions and other public events, helping out and guiding visitors.

This inaugural summer camp included several training programmes: Sanid programme focused on teaching effective first aid response to the volunteers; Esref Sah programme aimed to educate the volunteers on leading and managing their personal finances to secure a stable future; and Kafa’at programme helped volunteers learn about leadership competencies and skills encouraging them to pursue career opportunities and succeed in the workplace.

The camp also held workshops on using environmental friendly means for energy conservation such as solar power.