The Friends of Diabetes Association, one of the health-promoting organizations under the Health Education Department of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, today (Tuesday) unveiled the details of its “Super Hero Campaign”, which is organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Sharjah Education Council.

The campaign was launched during a press conference held at Sharjah Cultural Palace in the presence of H.E. Iman Rashid Saif, Director of the Health Promotion Department (HPD), H.E. Khawla Al Haj, Head of the Friends for Diabetes Association, Aisha Alsiri, Director of Health and Physical Fitness at the Ministry of Education.

Also present were representatives of the Sharjah Education Council,, government institutions in Sharjah, schools participating in the campaign as well as sponsors and media agencies.

The three-month campaign is targeting a number of public and private schools in the Emirate of Sharjah, with a view to raising students’ awareness about methods of preventing diabetes, encouraging them to follow healthy lifestyles, and highlighting the rights of diabetic children to enjoy their daily life similarly to their non-diabetic counterparts.

Builders of the Future

Iman Saif affirmed that the campaign this year will focus on school students, thanks to them being the builders of the future. “We have all –institutions and individuals- to make every possible effort to shape a brighter future for generations to come and provide them with all resources that guarantee them to live a healthy life.

“This is what the vision and directives of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA), is all about. Sheikha Jawaher attaches great attention to children and is very keen to create a conducive environment that fosters their skills, nurtures their minds and develops their characters”.

H.E. Saif thanked the Ministry of Education, the Sharjah Education Council, all schools participating in the Super Hero campaign, and all sponsors and partners from the public and private sectors, for their fruitful efforts and continuous cooperation.

Enhancing Awareness

“At the Friends of Diabetes Association, we are always keen on launching educational initiatives, campaigns, and program aiming to enhance health awareness of community members, provide all the support for people with diabetes at all ages by fostering their knowledge and skills to safely coexist with diabetes,” said HE Khawla Al-Haj, Head of the Friends for Diabetes Association.

This stems from the directives and vision of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, and also in line with Sharjah’s vision to maintain the health of both citizens and residents and motivate them to adopt healthy lifestyles, as the best solution to reduce chances of developing chronic diseases, she added.

Al-Haj revealed that the activities of the “Super Hero Campaign” are full of qualitative and innovative initiatives. This includes organizing educational and awareness-raising tours in schools of Sharjah and launching a wide-scale media drive, through social media networks and other media outlets, about diabetes and ways of preventing it, especially among school students and administration and teaching staff.

“Our efforts primarily aim to educate students with diabetes on how to prevent and coexist with this disease and reinforce the level of professional and educational competence of school nurses, since they are one of the most important elements of the health process success, thanks to their direct and strong impact on the health services provided for children in schools,” Al-Haj concluded.

Ministry of Education Priorities

For her part, Aisha Alsiri lauded all efforts and awareness-raising campaigns launched by the Friends of Diabetes Association, stressing that providing a safe and healthy environment for students is one of the most important priorities for the Ministry of Education.  This is to prepare them thoroughly in all mental, spiritual, physical, social and health aspects, which would contribute to raising their scientific performance and thus benefiting their families and society.

She noted that the Super Hero Campaign is one of the distinguished initiatives that will reflect positively on enhancing students’ awareness and stimulating them to adopt proper nutrition and physical habits.

“The Ministry of Education is ready to offer all resources to ensure the success of this campaign and reduce the risks and prevalence of diabetes,” Alsiri further said.

Various Activities

During the press conference, the Friends of Diabetes Association screened a short film on the initiatives and programs of the “Super Hero Campaign”, the first of which is organizing an educational tour to public and private schools in Sharjah, with a special focus on Grade 2 and 3.

The tour will be featuring lectures on diabetes to be delivered by health specialists and educators and handing out awareness-raising booklets. This is in addition to introducing the campaign and its goals to the students and stimulating them to follow healthy lifestyles at an early age, such as eating healthy food and engaging in physical activity.

Moreover, the campaign will include radio spots, awareness-raising posts on social media platforms and workshops in this respect.

The outcomes of participating schools will be showcased in an exhibition at the end of the campaign, in addition to choosing a coordinator and a nurse form each school, in coordination with the Ministry of Education and Sharjah Education Council.

While the school supervisors will elaborate on the “student success story” and the content of an educational video on diabetes, in addition to training students to perform the “superhero play”, to be implemented and displayed inside each school from 11-29 March.

The “Super Hero” Campaign also features free medical examinations for students and teaching staff, including blood sugar, body mass, and obesity, in addition to presenting recreational shows and contests to ensure that the campaign’s messages and goals are delivered in an easy and simple way.