
The Senior Citizens Services Center, affiliated with the Department of Social Services in Sharjah, organized a series of professional workshops for senior female citizens, with the aim of honing their skills and promoting integration and social interaction. The workshops, which were organized at different periods, included: the “Gypsum Cup Making” workshop, during which techniques for making decorative gypsum cups were presented, allowing participants to learn new skills in forming and designing cups. A “Salad Preparation” workshop was also organized, which focused on teaching the skills of preparing salad with various ingredients, which helped the participants acquire cooking skills and prepare healthy dishes. In the “Cake Decorating” workshop, they were taught how to prepare and decorate a cake using different techniques, which added to the joy of cooking and gave them the opportunity to be creative in presenting desserts. As for the “Cup Mat Making” workshop, which aimed to teach participants how to design and make cup mats from different materials, enabling them to benefit from these skills in their daily lives. The “Recycling” workshop included using bottles and turning them into a masterpiece to decorate the home, which encourages participants to be creative in reusing everyday materials and turning them into distinctive works of art. In addition, it organized a “Pillow Sewing” workshop that focused on teaching participants how to design and sew pillows in innovative ways, giving them the opportunity to develop their sewing skills and use them to improve their home decor. Enhancing the interaction of senior citizens with their grandchildren. Kholoud Al Ali, Director of the Department’s Senior Citizens’ Services Center, appreciated the efforts of mothers of senior citizens and their positive interaction with these workshops, stressing that these workshops come within the center’s efforts to enhance their skills and enable them to interact socially and express themselves through professional activities. They also aim to invest their free time usefully. Sumaya Al Shamsi, Head of the Al Asala Club Department, added that the workshops enable mothers to acquire skills that help them interact with their grandchildren, by teaching them new skills and enhancing community communication between them, which contributes to directing children towards useful activities away from electronic devices. The workshops also enhance the role of Traditional crafts and professions help bring the family together and strengthen family ties and positive interaction between generations.