Healthcare | Wednesday 18 February, 2015 3:52 pm |

Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs is spearheading a project to promote recycling by Senior Unit students as part of their Pre- vocational activity.
Recycled paper bags are made by the students of the Senior Unit as a part of Pre-Vocational activity. Goals from the Domains of Communication Language and Speech, Academics, Fine Motor and Socialization are also worked on during this activity.
Skills involved in making paper bags are folding paper, applying fevicol, punching the paper bags with eyelet punch hole to put eyelets, inserting string. These bags are Screen Printed in the Printing Technology department to customize them with images, logos or messages; according to customers demand.
A recycled Paper bag not only contributes to the Environment as bags are made of Recycled paper. But it also helps in engaging students gainfully and raising revenue for the Centre.
The products are sold at the Center’s retail store, Smiles n’ Stuff and can also be ordered online at www.smilesnstuff.ae where buyers can view all the products that are handcrafted by students of Al Noor such as desktop accessories, fashion and home improvement items as well as an assortment of cookies made in the Centre’s bakery unit.
Isphana Al Khatib, Director of Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs says, “By engaging our students into these recycling projects they learn the value of our protecting and preserving our planet and in their own little way are able to contribute to this global campaign. We also equip them with the requisite vocational and other work related skills to make them self-reliant and economically productive”.
For more information and to place your order, visit www.smilesnstuff.ae, call +971 4 3418960 or email [email protected].
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About Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs:
Al Noor Training Centre for Children with Special Needs is a non-profit organization which falls under the Ministry of Social Affairs. Established in 1981, Al Noor has been providing high quality of professional training to the special needs community in Dubai for over 30 years. Starting with only 8 children the Centre has since expanded to facilitate and enrich the lives of up to 300 children and young people from different nationalities who have various physical and cognitive challenges such as Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Autism. The new all-purpose facility from which Al Noor now operates opened its doors in April 2007 and was generously donated by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the U.A.E. and Ruler of Dubai and was made possible through the benefaction of HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein. Al Noor follows a holistic programme addressing all domains of development through a trans disciplinary assessment and intervention approach, all delivered at an ISO certified standard. In addition to teaching, the level of development is enhanced with Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech and Language Therapy, Psychological services, Sports and Music. Al Noor also prides itself on an exceptionally effective work placement unit that trains its students with a capability for open employment, integrating them into mainstream society post education.

A particular star of the Al Noor’s fundraising achievements is the Center’s very own Branded Retail Outlet - Smiles ‘n’ Stuff which helps to raise awareness and funds for the training centre. It is the only one of its kind in the GCC where all the products are handcrafted by children and young people with special needs enrolled at Al Noor. The goal of Al Noor’s vocational training unit is to make children skilled and productive members of the community and training is offered in Wood design technology, printing technology, fashion technology and Bakery units.