The social, emotional and physical benefits of sport are what drive many of us to lace up our trainers and hit the gym, road, trail or court – and the same positives apply to those less physically able.
Disability is not a barrier to achievement, as qualifying 2016 Rio Paralympics wheelchair racing champions, Mohammed Al Hammadi and Salim Al Shehhi, and discus champion, Siham Al Rashidi, all from the UAE, can attest.
“Sports are great for all children. Being part of a team, learning new skills, improved motor skills and coordination, and improved cardiovascular and fitness levels are some of the benefits. Being a part of something bigger and contributing to its success is also great for kids and their families,” says Nanette Wicker-Essick, founder/chief executive of kidsFIRST Medical Center, UAE.
Getting children with special needs involved in sport and engendering a more inclusive environment, is being championed by individuals, government entities, education providers and clubs across the UAE.
One such example is the Dubai Challengers League, which was established in 2011 by 14-year-old Faiz Moosa, whose brother Faraz has Down syndrome, to give special-needs children an opportunity to play baseball with other children.
A long-term volunteer, Wicker-Essick helps train the league’s “buddies”.
“You see amazing relationships being built on the field, and currently we have anywhere from 15 to 30 participating families every weekend, and have signed up 100 or so kids over the years,” she says.
Promoted through word of mouth, as well as to special-needs centres, groups and families in the emirate, this volunteer organisation relies on community support, with Dubai Little League providing uniforms, coaches and player buddies.
Says Wicker-Essick: “We were the first to give kids an opportunity to play in their own league, and since the creation of The Stars team there have been other initiatives launched, including ones for football and tennis, and members of the Boy Scouts Troop 813 even developed the Special Needs Troop 528 as an Eagle Scout.
“Other organisations like Tender Hearts Arena also have activities specifically created for children and young adults.”
The race for awareness
Nick Watson is a qualified personal training and sports therapy expert whose son Rio was born with a rare chromosome disorder and has severe special needs.
He launched the “reaching you” foundation a decade ago to foster awareness of children with special needs within the UAE, and encourage integration. This evolved into #TeamAngelWolf, the banner under which he competes, pushing or carrying Rio, in a series of punishing endurance races and ironman challenges.
Watson’s 10-year campaign has also focused on community initiatives such as the annual Party in the Park, school talks series, as well as one-off challenges such as the 2007 12-man Mount Kinabalu climb, which included two young Emiratis with special needs.
“Within the area of disability in general, we have witnessed much more awareness, acceptance, integration, equality and services over the last 10 years. By 2020, Dubai is aiming to become the world’s most disability-friendly city and we are seeing a strong effort in working to reach this goal from RTA initiatives and government services to the [disabled] community becoming more vocal,” he says.
According to Watson, government-supported initiatives such as the Dubai Club for the Disabled are adding further impetus, and offer many sports activities including football, baseball and horse riding, as well as becoming more accessible through online and social-media presence. “We believe these activities are well attended; some with waiting lists. Without a doubt, if there were more events available that were well-promoted and funded – and this is where corporate support plays a role – then they would also be fully subscribed,” he says.
Through #TeamAngelWolf, Watson is encouraging two-way integration, with people with disabilities volunteering their time at sports/fitness events alongside other volunteers, with the shared goal of getting healthy.
His school and corporate talks series are also adding to the overall impetus, as he explains: “Many schools and companies contact us afterwards to ask what they can they do next to create positive changes themselves. When we race and do other activities – always including Rio – we aim to spread awareness of people of disabilities, to show how integration can work beautifully and how teamwork is vital in life.”
The next series of talks coupled with interactive initiatives and challenges will be rolled out shortly, with three new #TeamAngelWolf programmes also ready for launch.
“The ‘Together We Can’ programme will see a volunteer runner athlete paired with a disabled volunteer for weekly runs using specialised disability running chairs. We also plan to relaunch our ‘Beach Blast’ programme, which brings together mainstream children/adult volunteers and children with disabilities on the beach, for fun games and races using floating wheelchairs,” Watson says.
“Finally, we will launch the ‘Community Tri Together’ programme, which uses the #TeamAngelWolf experience to hopefully inspire members of the local community to take responsibility for their own health by incorporating fitness into their daily lives through group tri sessions at venues such as the Nad Al Sheba bike track, Al Qudra cycle track, the Jumeirah running track and the sea.”
Five clubs to try
Abu Dhabi Sports Club for Special Needs
Sight, hearing and cognitively challenged students can sign up for one-on-one training and a variety of sports disciplines with the club also taking part in local and regional events.
www.zho.ae, 02 558 2884
Abu Dhabi Harlequins Try Rugby programme
Open to all children aged 7-12 years, the annual programme offers an introduction to the sport and is designed to develop gross motor and ball skills and encourage teamwork.
www.abudhabiquins.com
Dubai Challengers League
Open to children of all ages and abilities, this unique baseball league meets at 11.30am every Saturday during the season.
Contact Shalini Moosa at dmlbaseball@gmail.com
Riding for the Disabled Dubai
Established in 1998 by Sheikha Hassa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who donated three of her horses, children of varying abilities can sign up for the specialised riding programme.
www.rdad.ae
Tender Hearts Arena
Yoga, dance and martial arts are just a few of the activities on offer at this Umm Suqeim, Dubai, centre, which also offers spring, summer and winter holiday camp programmes.
www.tenderhearts.ae
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Other workplace saving schemes
- The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
- Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
- National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
- In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
- Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
How the UAE gratuity payment is calculated now
Employees leaving an organisation are entitled to an end-of-service gratuity after completing at least one year of service.
The tenure is calculated on the number of days worked and does not include lengthy leave periods, such as a sabbatical. If you have worked for a company between one and five years, you are paid 21 days of pay based on your final basic salary. After five years, however, you are entitled to 30 days of pay. The total lump sum you receive is based on the duration of your employment.
1. For those who have worked between one and five years, on a basic salary of Dh10,000 (calculation based on 30 days):
a. Dh10,000 ÷ 30 = Dh333.33. Your daily wage is Dh333.33
b. Dh333.33 x 21 = Dh7,000. So 21 days salary equates to Dh7,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service. Multiply this figure for every year of service up to five years.
2. For those who have worked more than five years
c. 333.33 x 30 = Dh10,000. So 30 days’ salary is Dh10,000 in gratuity entitlement for each year of service.
Note: The maximum figure cannot exceed two years total salary figure.
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Champions League quarter-final, first leg
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City, Tuesday, 11pm (UAE)
Matches can be watched on BeIN Sports
if you go
The flights
Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes.
The car
Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals (more at www.hertz.com/etihad). A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.
The hotels
Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes.
More info
To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Cryopreservation: A timeline
- Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
- Ovarian tissue surgically removed
- Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
- Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
- Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months
England Test squad
Joe Root (captain), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Dawid Malan, Jamie Porter, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes.
RESULTS
Light Flyweight (48kg): Alua Balkibekova (KAZ) beat Gulasal Sultonalieva (UZB) by points 4-1.
Flyweight (51kg): Nazym Kyzaibay (KAZ) beat Mary Kom (IND) 3-2.
Bantamweight (54kg): Dina Zholaman (KAZ) beat Sitora Shogdarova (UZB) 3-2.
Featherweight (57kg): Sitora Turdibekova (UZB) beat Vladislava Kukhta (KAZ) 5-0.
Lightweight (60kg): Rimma Volossenko (KAZ) beat Huswatun Hasanah (INA) KO round-1.
Light Welterweight (64kg): Milana Safronova (KAZ) beat Lalbuatsaihi (IND) 3-2.
Welterweight (69kg): Valentina Khalzova (KAZ) beat Navbakhor Khamidova (UZB) 5-0
Middleweight (75kg): Pooja Rani (IND) beat Mavluda Movlonova (UZB) 5-0.
Light Heavyweight (81kg): Farida Sholtay (KAZ) beat Ruzmetova Sokhiba (UZB) 5-0.
Heavyweight (81 kg): Lazzat Kungeibayeva (KAZ) beat Anupama (IND) 3-2.
Company%20profile
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From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
'O'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Zeina%20Hashem%20Beck%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20112%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Penguin%20Books%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
The specs: 2018 Renault Koleos
Price, base: From Dh77,900
Engine: 2.5L, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 170hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 233Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.3L / 100km
