Dubai Bank puts smiles on faces of autistic children

Present for the visit were Mr Ahmed Yousef Al Ali, manager of Dubai Bank's Buhairah branch in Sharjah, and a group of Dubai Bank employees, who delivered educational toys and other gifts for the children at the Centre.

Dubai Bank CEO, Abdulaziz Al Muhairi, said of the visit, "Dubai Bank is committed to improving the lives of the communities in which we work, both through our own efforts and through supporting the efforts of others, in line with the vision of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum."

"We elected to visit the Sharjah Autism Centre because we realise that autistic children are gifted and talented beyond what people generally tend to expect, and we wanted to show our appreciation for the invaluable contribution to society made by the Centre's management and staff," he continued.

The Sharjah Autism Centre was officially opened in February 2001 as a part of the Sharjah City for Humanitarian Services, and today provides services for over 50 children ranging between four and 18 years of age.

The centre specializes in assisting children with medium to severe cases of autism, which is a biological brain development disorder that impairs communication and social skills, and encompasses a broad spectrum of disorders ranging from mild to severe.

Commenting on the visit, Mr Ahmed Al Ali said, "We are delighted to have been able to contribute to the Sharjah Autism Centre, which delivers a valuable service to these students and their families. Such contributions form part of Dubai Bank's ethical approach, which we have adopted not only in our relationship with our customers, but in our interaction with society as a whole."

In addition to the teachers for academic subjects, Centre staff includes a physiotherapist, an occupational therapist, a music teacher, a handicraft teacher, and volunteers for the outdoor activities like swimming and riding. The Centre also has a computer lab, a music class, an art class, a gymnasium, a large playground, and a kitchen to train children to cook.

Miss Mona Bagh, Director of the Sharjah Autism Centre, said, "This visit from Dubai Bank gave us immense joy, and we greatly appreciate the gifts they have delivered. The educational toys in particular can be extremely beneficial for the development of such special needs children. It is important that people recognise that these children are also part of our society and that we need to help them in whatever ways we can to fulfil their potential and live productive lives."