Fair enables sale of special products
DUBAI — Dressed in a crisp white kandora, 17-year-old Emirati national Saif Saeed arrived at the Garden Centre early one Saturday morning, determined to make a prosperous sale by marketing his collection of hand-made terrariums of cacti and succulents.
He succeeded what he’d come for, telling Khaleej Times: “I sold several plants today and made many new friends. We have more of these terrariums in Carrefour Festival City.” Saeed is a person of determination employed at Enable, a UAE national social enterprise based in Dubai. Launched in 2014, the company, a sister concern of the landscaping company Desert Group, empowers special, young Emiratis with cognitive disabilities by enrolling them in extensive entrepreneurial programmes.
Saeed was one of the most enth- usiastic salesmen at the second edition of the annual Enable Fair, that showcased over 1,000 products handcrafted by 75 special students from 17 special needs centres. Students arrived from centres in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Hatta, and all other emirates. The event was held under the slogan ‘carving my future with my determination’. Students at Enable are diagnosed with Down Syndrome, ADHD, slow learning difficulties, etc. They sold all kinds of products handmade by the students, including indoor terrariums, frames, postcards, furniture, wall hangings, greeting cards, jewellery, indoor plants, pillow cases, key chains and much more. Food items such as cookies, cupcakes, and biscuits were also sold. The event also
The goal of this fair is to empower other centres and give students a oneday retail experience to help them take a step forward towards entering the entrepreneurial world.” Reem Saeed Al Ghaith, general manager, Enable
witnessed a roundtable discussion featuring leading thinkers and workers in the special needs sector in the UAE.
Reem Saeed Al Ghaith, general manager of Enable, told Khaleej Times: “The roundtable discussion addressed the various challenges agencies face with the inclusion of people of determination in the workforce. Though we are a maleonly organisation, we are looking to include Emirati girls and women into the programme.”
She added: “We are also looking to expand the number of retailers we work with. The goal of this fair is to empower other centres and give students a one-day retail experience to help them take a step forward towards entering the entrepreneurial world.”
Ibrahim Ali, a senior therapist with Enable said: “With these initiatives, we want the students to feel a keen sense of involvement in mainstream society…”
Another student with Down Syndrome, Chantan Saado, a 26-yearold student of Al Noor Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities, said: “We sold several products, including notepads and earrings made in our fashion and printing technology workshops… I found it very enjoyable and I wouldn’t mind a career in sales.”
Reem added: “As a social enterprise, 100 per cent of Enable products will be used to fuel its retail operations with 15 per cent of each product sold will go back to the employee who created it to empower their abilities.” Enable products can be found at www.enable.ae/collections
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com