The UAE is building on the legacy of its hosting of the Special Olympics by launching a new membership scheme to provide people with disabilities with discounts on health services, transport and reduced rates on hotel stays.
The Fazaa Hemam programme was rolled out on Wednesday by Sheikh Saif bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior.
The wide-ranging initiative was introduced following calls by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, to boost the quality of life of disable people across the Emirates.
The programme features two membership cards, the first of which is adorned with a Special Olympics logo and is for people with intellectual disabilities.
The second card is aimed at people of all disabilities, both citizens and residents, aged up to 49.
People eligible for the second card are those with intellectual and auditory disabilities, autistic people with visual impairments and those with multiple disabilities, psychiatric disabilities and communication disorders, and those with attention deficit disorders and hyperactivity.
Membership is based on the eligibility criteria listed in the Disability Classification Guide approved by the Zayed Higher Organization.
The cards promise access to government, private services and include discounted travel and exemptions by the Department of Municipalities and Transport.
Card holders and one companion will be exempt from charges on buses and abras and will pay 50 per cent for taxis in Abu Dhabi.
People with special needs can designate one vehicle that will not be charged road toll fees in Abu Dhabi when the charging scheme is introduced.
Reduced rates will be available for health services offered by Seha in Abu Dhabi, consumer products in 5,500 stores, and 4,000 food outlets.
Hotel reservations worldwide will be offered at competitive prices, car rentals from Dh 39 per day and 40 per cent discount in 131 hospitals.
The strategy was brought forward thanks to the joint efforts of the Ministry of Community Development, Ministry of Interior's social security fund, Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination and the UAE Special Olympics.
During a virtual launch, Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed, chairman of the Board of Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination, said the membership cards were part of a mission to integrate people with special needs into society.
He hoped it would encourage equality across all sectors of society.
Officials stated the success of the Special Olympics World Games - held in Abu Dhabi in March of last year - was just the start of the country's journey towards a more inclusive future.
“The legacy continues after closing ceremony and hard work does not stop after these games,” said Tala Al Ramahi, chief strategy officer at World Games Abu Dhabi following the conclusion of the event.
Residents and citizens can visit the website or mobile application of the Zayed Higher Organization and follow the registration process to obtain a people of determination card as a first step.
Those who already have this card, can download the Fazaa app to register for the Fazaa Hemam card.
For more information, visit www.fazaa.ae
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
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Profile of VoucherSkout
Date of launch: November 2016
Founder: David Tobias
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers
Sector: Technology
Size: 18 employees
Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake
Investors: Seed round was self-funded with “millions of dollars”
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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The biog
Favourite pet: cats. She has two: Eva and Bito
Favourite city: Cape Town, South Africa
Hobby: Running. "I like to think I’m artsy but I’m not".
Favourite move: Romantic comedies, specifically Return to me. "I cry every time".
Favourite spot in Abu Dhabi: Saadiyat beach
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
