Sultan Bin Ahmed visits charitable initiatives in Indonesia's island Bali

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Humanitarian Envoy for The Big Heart Foundation, led a delegation from the Foundation on a visit to several charitable projects and initiatives in Bali, Indonesia.

The purpose of the trip was to gain direct insight into the needs of local communities and to draw lessons from the experiences of organisations involved in education, empowerment, protection, and improving livelihoods.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed began his trip to Bali with the aim of establishing humanitarian and development partnerships based on an understanding of the needs and priorities of the communities in question, while also using the expertise of local institutions to design interventions with sustainable impact.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Sultan was given an account of the activities of the "Annika Linden Centre," at which a group of children from the centre displayed an artwork showing their pleasure at his visit. The center gathers together a number of organisations which are committed to supporting people with disabilities.

Sheikh Ahmed Bin Sultan also saw services involved in making and fitting prosthetic limbs—including the various types on offer and the process of taking individual measurements — and noted that these prosthetics are made, prepared, and fitted for beneficiaries at no charge. Furthermore, he was made aware of other services such as orthotics, wheelchairs, physical therapy and educational programmes, as well as labour market integration programmes.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed was given a briefing on the main services provided by the centre for people with disabilities and on the importance of providing integrated solutions—combining mobility, rehabilitation, education and employment—in order to improve the beneficiaries' independence and enable them to take a more active part in daily life and in society. He also learned about the skills the centre's participants acquire, such as blow painting and handicrafts; these activities help reveal a child's nature, identify their way of thinking, and determine the best way to interact with them.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed met with a number of the centre’s staff and beneficiaries, listening to their diverse experiences and the challenges people with disabilities face regarding access to rehabilitation services, mobility, and educational and vocational opportunities. He also discussed the impact of charitable aid on the centre’s members—specifically its role in empowering them, fostering their independence, and providing a supportive environment that helps develop their capabilities and skills—thereby contributing to an improved quality of life and their effective integration into society.

The Deputy Ruler of Sharjah then visited the "Bali Life Foundation" to learn about its operational structure. The centre supports children, women, and families facing difficult living and economic conditions through programmes that include non-formal education, community support, and women's economic empowerment. Furthermore, Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed reviewed the foundation's initiatives designed to improve young people's opportunities to gain essential life and vocational skills, as well as the measures the foundation is taking to help women and families gain more stable economic opportunities.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed received briefings from the foundation's officials and beneficiaries on the main problems the groups face, as well as the role training, education, and economic empowerment play in helping individuals and families and increasing their ability to be self-reliant. He also held meetings with students at different grade levels and with women at the educational workshop, where they receive training in handicrafts and various skills—such as sewing, making handbags, and other kinds of trade.

The children from the foundation performed, showcasing their abilities in recitation and singing, and expressing their joy and gratitude to the charitable organisations and other supporting bodies that have supported them. These supporters help keep their education going and provide an environment that lets them develop their talents and abilities, build self-confidence, and participate actively in society; His Highness also took commemorative photographs with them.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed also went to SOS Children’s Villages in Indonesia, an organisation that provides family-based care and a range of programmes designed to support families who are at risk of breaking down and to ensure that children have safer and more stable environments, which in turn contributes to their protection, the development of their skills and capabilities, and to their empowerment.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed then went to the computer lab, where the institution's members acquire digital skills and learn to use various software applications, aiming to improve their digital abilities, develop their technical skills, and use modern technology in both their educational and professional lives. When he moved on to the art studio, he looked at a range of paintings made by the members and studied some of the handicrafts produced by the children. He listened to an explanation of the artworks and the creative talents and abilities they show, as well as the art programs and activities that allow members to express their ideas and build their artistic and creative skills.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed visited the "Family House," a place that provides children with a complete family atmosphere. There, a special mother looks after and raises the children, providing a caring home that gives them a sense of security and stability. During his visit, the Deputy Ruler of Sharjah saw the main parts of the facility, such as the bedrooms and the living room, and found out about the mothers' work in looking after the children and meeting their daily requirements, as well as the methods of rearing children used to inculcate good morals and to develop their knowledge and cultural awareness.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed also gained insight into their daily lives and the ways in which they communicate with and interact towards children, including listening to their stories, the experiences they have had and the difficulties they encounter on their educational journeys, as well as the success stories and awards which they have obtained through their involvement in a number of competitions and activities—all of these helping to develop their talents and promote their integration into society.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed then went to the village theatre, where a group of the center's members gave an artistic welcoming performance which illustrated various aspects of Indonesian culture. In this performance they showed their friendly welcome to the guests and their pride in their cultural identity, as well as expressing their thanks for the support given by the foundation and the positive effect it has had on their lives.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed heard from several foundation members, who shared the difficulties they had faced before joining the Village and the positive impact the care and programmes had on their lives, skills, and abilities. They also described their successes and accomplishments in a variety of fields, including their involvement in competitions and events, and the awards and honours they had received. They stressed that the supportive atmosphere offered by the Village had been vital in helping them to discover and develop their talents, as well as in boosting their self-confidence and their ability to take part in and get on with society. His Highness then posed for commemorative photographs with them.

These humanitarian visits reflect an approach that involves understanding community needs from within, engaging directly with local expertise and partner organisations, considering a range of humanitarian and development models, and drawing on the experiences of both organisations and beneficiaries in the field.

Focusing on areas closely connected with individuals' and communities' ability to build a more stable and self-reliant future—such as education, skills development and employment; the empowerment and social inclusion of people with disabilities; child protection and the provision of safe and supportive environments; and women's economic empowerment, housing and livelihoods—the visits have helped to create better opportunities for people to develop their capabilities, to improve their quality of life and to take an active part in their communities.

The Indonesia operation aligns with The Big Heart Foundation's strategic objectives to expand its network of humanitarian and development partnerships across South and Southeast Asia, reinforcing its existing position and current activities in the Arab world and around the globe.

The Indonesia initiative is a major step in the strategy, as it provides an opportunity to establish new partnerships in education, empowerment, protection, and livelihoods, while extending the Foundation's humanitarian impact to reach new communities and demographic groups in the region.

Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed was accompanied by: Sheikh Ali Bin Abdullah Bin Majid Al Qasimi, Co-founder of Khalf Al Koob Private Company Management; Dr. Issa Saif Bin Hanzel, Chairman of the Department of Islamic Affairs; Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of BEEAH; Mohammed Hassan Khalaf, Director General of the Sharjah Broadcasting Authority; Tariq Saeed Allay, Director General of the Sharjah Government Media Bureau; Hassan Yaqoub Al Mansoori, Secretary General of the Sharjah Media Council; Rashid Abdullah Al Obad, Director General of Sharjah Media City (Shams); Mariam Al Hammadi, Advisory Board Member of The Big Heart Foundation and Director General of NAMA Women Advancement; Hatem Mohamed Al Mosa, Director General of the Sharjah Petroleum Department; Ali Mohammed Al Khayal, Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Sharjah Charity House; Rosa Piro, Director of Arada; and Abdullah Ibrahim Al Mulla, Co-founder and Managing Partner of Khalf Al Koob Private Company Management.

WAM