A former UN official is on a mission to ensure families in Abu Dhabi who have escaped conflict across the globe are not priced out of an education.
May Kadkoy, who served the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for 35 years, was determined to carry on her humanitarian work after retiring from her role in 2017.
A year later, she co-founded Lotus Retal, a centre offering teaching in a wide variety of affordable courses.
The centre launched the Basmet Amal - stamp of hope - initiative in the same year to offer children whose families could not afford tuition fees a free education.
I am happy I learned to do many things here. I started around a year ago
Eighty-five children have since received valuable teaching to ensure they don't fall behind before being able to secure a return to the school system.
About 60 of this number have been able to go back to the classroom, with the help of the centre.
“Our aim is to reach zero cases [of children out of school] and to enrol all pupils back in school,” said Ms Kadkoy, who helped to set up the UNHCR's office in the UAE.
“Our goal was to revive their learning skills and review the material for children who have been out of school for two or three years.”
Ms Kadkoy established the free scheme after noticing a trend for children from low-income Syrian families to drop out of school due to problems affording the fees.
“We started the initiative Basmet Amal to develop the children’s academic skills until they could go back to school,” she said.
Children are taught the Ministry of Education curriculum by volunteer teachers.
Grateful mother eager to give back
Hadeel Al Kadre, who has five children learning at Lotus Retal, became one of the volunteer teachers herself.
“I teach first-graders mathematics,” said the 32-year-old Syrian.
The mother of six children, aged two to 13, moved to Abu Dhabi to escape conflict in her homeland.
She lived in Eastern Ghouta, on the outskirts of Damascus, which was devastated by war.
“Almost 99 per cent of the homes, including our house, were destroyed,” she said.
She and her husband, a mechanic, are happy to have laid down roots in the capital but assistance for their children has been welcome.
She was referred to Lotus Retal, becoming first a beneficiary and then a helper.
“My five children are all studying here at Retal. None have been accepted in a school yet,” she said.
Mrs Al Kadre said she has no family members remaining in Syria, with most of her relatives having moved to Turkey.
"My goal is for my children to complete their education,” she said.
Back to school plan
Ms Kadkoy and her team not only provide education, but also work to help learners return to schools.
If free seats at Ministry of Education schools cannot be arranged, the centre will negotiate discounts with private schools.
“We try to find seats in private schools and we negotiate with them to give a discounted fee, and we find them a benefactor to sponsor them,” said Ms Kadkoy.
Another important way to help pupils is to help their parents.
Ms Kadkoy decided to set up another initiative to help mothers of learners develop business acumen, in the hope their newfound skills could provide them with greater financial stability.
“We started a pilot project at the end of 2019, and trained 10 women from conflict-hit countries like Syria, Yemen and Palestine," she said.
“When the project proved its success and the women started selling their products, we approached the UNHCR to sponsor an extensive programme.”
The three-month scheme, which will teach 20 women how to sew and how to market their products and start small businesses, was launched on Tuesday.
“They are being trained by professional coaches who provided similar courses at refugee camps,” said Mrs Kadkoy.
“And the 10 women who trained with us before, are now assisting with the training.”
Training empowers mothers
Samaher Al Mohammed was one of the women provided with the sewing skills to help her cover living costs.
“I feel very comfortable with the sewing machine, whenever I come here I feel so much at ease,” said the 32-year-old Syrian.
“I have made 120 masks so far, and I make small purses and beach hats.
“I am happy I learned to do many things here, I started around a year ago.”
Her sales have brought in about Dh1,200 so far.
Ms Al Mohammed moved to the UAE in 2018, one of millions to flee Syria as violence escalated.
“There was a lot of shelling, and our house was struck as well in 2014, and there was nothing left of it," she said.
“It became very difficult to live there, so my husband moved here in 2015, and I followed him here three years later.”
Her husband, who was a bank employee in Syria, now works for a pest control company in Abu Dhabi.
“Our financial situation is quite difficult, and the centre has helped me a lot with the children’s education and teaching me to sew,” she said.
Her children, Jawad, 8, and Jana, 6, have received support from the centre.
She said she always had a passion for sewing, but never learned how to master the craft until now.
“I hope I could get better at it and start a small business.
“And my main goal is for Syria to be safe and secure again. I love my country and I wish to go back.”
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Key products and UAE prices
iPhone XS
With a 5.8-inch screen, it will be an advance version of the iPhone X. It will be dual sim and comes with better battery life, a faster processor and better camera. A new gold colour will be available.
Price: Dh4,229
iPhone XS Max
It is expected to be a grander version of the iPhone X with a 6.5-inch screen; an inch bigger than the screen of the iPhone 8 Plus.
Price: Dh4,649
iPhone XR
A low-cost version of the iPhone X with a 6.1-inch screen, it is expected to attract mass attention. According to industry experts, it is likely to have aluminium edges instead of stainless steel.
Price: Dh3,179
Apple Watch Series 4
More comprehensive health device with edge-to-edge displays that are more than 30 per cent bigger than displays on current models.
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Anxiety and work stress major factors
Anxiety, work stress and social isolation are all factors in the recogised rise in mental health problems.
A study UAE Ministry of Health researchers published in the summer also cited struggles with weight and illnesses as major contributors.
Its authors analysed a dozen separate UAE studies between 2007 and 2017. Prevalence was often higher in university students, women and in people on low incomes.
One showed 28 per cent of female students at a Dubai university reported symptoms linked to depression. Another in Al Ain found 22.2 per cent of students had depressive symptoms - five times the global average.
It said the country has made strides to address mental health problems but said: “Our review highlights the overall prevalence of depressive symptoms and depression, which may long have been overlooked."
Prof Samir Al Adawi, of the department of behavioural medicine at Sultan Qaboos University in Oman, who was not involved in the study but is a recognised expert in the Gulf, said how mental health is discussed varies significantly between cultures and nationalities.
“The problem we have in the Gulf is the cross-cultural differences and how people articulate emotional distress," said Prof Al Adawi.
“Someone will say that I have physical complaints rather than emotional complaints. This is the major problem with any discussion around depression."
Daniel Bardsley
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Bio
Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Funk Wav Bounces Vol.1
Calvin Harris
Columbia
Anghami
Started: December 2011
Co-founders: Elie Habib, Eddy Maroun
Based: Beirut and Dubai
Sector: Entertainment
Size: 85 employees
Stage: Series C
Investors: MEVP, du, Mobily, MBC, Samena Capital
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Banthology: Stories from Unwanted Nations
Edited by Sarah Cleave, Comma Press
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
