Sharjah Girl Guides Offers UAE Community A Creative Platform at SCRF 2018
Through a series of innovative challenges and activities, Sharjah Girl Guides (SGG) is using its participation at the ongoing edition of the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF 2018) to introduce its guides and young members of the general public, teachers, parents, and participating government entities, and renowned international guests to its overarching goals of leadership, development, and creative problem solving among the UAE’s youth.
In a unique set of reading- and book-themed activities, SGG is going beyond its members to reach out to all members of the UAE community, especially the younger generation.
The ‘Search for Me’ workshop took place on April 21 for Guides (aged 12-15 years), April 23 for the public, and April 27 for brownies (aged 7-11 years), from 5-7pm at their stand (C10, Hall 4), at Sharjah Expo Centre. It comprises a set of exciting games that teaches young students the right techniques to quickly get to the information they are looking for in books, and ultimately seeks to increase participants’ reading and focusing skills, and ignite a passion for science and discovery in them.
The next open-to-all activity is a creative workshop on pencils and bookmark decoration, and is run every day from 10am to 8pm at the SGG stand, and will continue to stir children’s imaginations and creativity until the festival closes on Saturday, April 28.
Highlighting the significant role a literary platform dedicated entirely to the youth plays in furthering SGG’s visions and goals, SGG’s Manager, Shaikha Abdulaziz Al Shamsi said: “Each year, the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival offers us unprecedented access to the young populace of Sharjah and the UAE, and becomes a networking ground for us as we meet and exchange notes with several government entities, regional and international publishers, and organisations working in children’s development. It gives us an opportunity to enhance the awareness of our young brownies and guides about the importance of developing their reading habit, and gives us a window to showcase our projects to parents and teachers.”
Al Shamsi added: “This year, our guides are at the forefront of all the interactive workshops and competitions we are hosting, as a way of motivating them to enhance their leadership skills by taking on bigger responsibilities.”
An exclusive activity designed for the guides to test their literary and intuitive skills called ‘Hunt the Book’ will be hosted by SGG on April 27, where 25 guides set out on a thrilling treasure hunt and follow clues hidden throughout the Expo Centre, which will finally lead them to their prize.
SGG’s ‘Wall of Knots’ – part of the ‘Knots of Impact’ campaign launched last February to support girls’ education worldwide – has also made an appearance at SCRF 2018, positioned at Expo’s South Entrance, and holding the knots of brownies, guides and visitors who have generously donated to support The Big Heart Foundation’s Girl Child Fund.
Sharjah Girl Guides aims to inspire and nurture future generations to become progressive global citizens by providing a platform to develop to their fullest potential, operating under the generous patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA).
The 10th edition of the festival, which runs until April 28 at Expo Centre Sharjah and is themed ‘Your Future… Just a Book Away’.
The festival’s events span several programmes, under the main themes of Kids Activities, Cultural Programmes, Cultural Café, Kids’ Creative Café, Social Media Café and Cookery Corner.