The Community Services Division organized a special initiative entitled Adopt an Orphan for a Day on November 4. This initiative, which was started in Spring 2017, allows AUS volunteers to spend time with orphans, eat with them, entertain them, and put a smile on their faces. Through this initiative, volunteers spend a day with the children and take them out to a fun location, sharing a day of happiness and enjoyment together.

Sixty five AUS volunteers spent the day with 54 orphans from Sharjah Social Services Department and Human Appeal International at Ski Dubai in the Mall of the Emirates. The students and orphans were accompanied by 11 supervisors from AUS, Sharjah Social Services and Human Appeal International. The children and the volunteers met at AUS and went to the Mall of Emirates together. During the bus ride, the volunteers got to know the child they were assigned to mentor for the day and in no time, the volunteers and children had become friends and were laughing together.

From helping them put on their thermal jackets at Ski Dubai to tying their shoe laces, the volunteers took care of the children. They went on rides, made snow castles and had snowball fights. The volunteers also gave gifts to the children.

Sharing her experience, Menaka Bhatia, a sophomore economics major and an active volunteer, said:

“The day was full of smiles and excitement. After a long, hot summer, these children got to experience the chill at Ski Dubai. It filled my heart with immense joy when we built a snowman. We took the children for lunch and gave them presents. Adopt an Orphan is one of the greatest experiences I’ve had since joining AUS. Some kids were very naughty, others were playful but the one thing that they had in common was that all of them were extremely happy throughout the day.”

Commenting on the initiative, Dr. Moza Al Shehhi, Dean of Students, said:

“This humanitarian event is very popular among our students and we receive an overwhelming response from our volunteers to participate. We are proud of our students’ thoughtfulness and their eagerness to express their love and care for less privileged children. This one day event is very meaningful and full of fond memories both for our students and the children.”