Al AIN // Demand for foster children is growing among Emirati families and single women, according to a welfare organisation for orphans.
Dar Zayed orphanage in Al Ain, established in 1988 by Sheikh Zayed, has a fostering section that allows Emirati families to take children up to two years old into their permanent care.
Khawla al Badi, who sits on the executive committee for adoptions at Dar Zayed and is also a social worker with the fostering section, said there was now considerable interest from couples who either could not have children, or had children but wanted to help the less fortunate.
"We see also single women, widows or divorced, who would like to have children."
While unmarried men are not permitted to foster, single women are, and 15 have taken children into their care.
Right now, said Ms al Badi, "we have a waiting list. We also turned down many applications because they did not meet the adoption conditions."
Adoption involving a change of name is prohibited in Islam because it affiliates a child to a different father, but Muslims are allowed to foster children by taking them into their physical and spiritual care. Since the fostering programme began, the organisation has received 93 applications from interested Emiratis, 40 of whom were rejected because they did not fit the strict criteria.
As well as its permanent residents, sent there by the authorities or as the result of a court ruling, Dar Zayed also cares for children temporarily, often in cases where the parents are in prison and there are no other family or friends to look after them.
Those older than two are cared for permanently at villas rented by the organisation, each run by full-time carers who raise the children. Ms al Badi saidgirls had proved far easier to place in new families than boys. "This is due maybe, as parents told us, to the fact that they are easy to raise."
Dar Zayed was set up to provide comprehensive care and education to the country's orphans and instil in them a sense of community and values, in line with the teachings of Islam.
Whatever their backgrounds, all children received by Dar Zayed are first tested for diseases including hepatitis, HIV and syphilis. Those with medical problems, staff say, are treated immediately and provided with all their needs, including accommodation, food, clothing and psychological and social care, as well as health care and education.
The criteria for would-be foster parents are rigorous. All applicants must be Emirati and Dar Zayed staff will monitor the care and well-being of the children until they reach their mid-teens.
"The family must also be medically fit, free from any transmittable diseases and the mother should be aged between 25 and 50 years," Ms al Badi said.
A single woman wanting to foster must be at least 30 years old, have the approval of other family members, be able to provide suitable accommodation and earn a "suitable income". She should, says the organisation, also be "qualified to take care of the child" and attend Dar Zayed's lectures and workshops on education, social and psychological care.
loatway@thenational.ae
FORSPOKEN
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SQUADS
South Africa:
Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada
Coach: Ottis Gibson
Bangladesh:
Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Mustafizur Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal, Taskin Ahmed.
Coach: Chandika Hathurusingha
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Wonka
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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