In a bid to enable their young members to utilise their time at home gainfully this summer, Sharjah Girl Guides (SGG) organised a series of workshops in August to engage Brownies, Guides and Senior Guides in a variety of activities to teach them new crafts, stimulate creativity and increase their problem-solving skills.

SGG hosted a week-long session titled ‘Inspirational Art’ from August 2 – 9, where Guides and Senior Guides picked up tips on painting watercolour landscapes and creating floral artwork using acrylics. The art instructor Hosanna Lee guided them over the course of 19 days via WhatsApp, inspiring them to create their best works of art to be judged in competition.

The workshop was also meant to encourage the Guides and Senior Guides to monetise their skills by starting their own business. To this end, the winning artwork will be reproduced on different forms of merchandise which will be marketed commercially. All participants received the SGG Art badge.

The August 10 workshop titled ‘The Art of Macramé’ opened up the world of Macramé, an ancient and versatile form of fibre art that can be used to make everything from wall hangings and plant hangers to jewellery, purses, and even clothing items, to Guides and Senior Guides.

Apart from teaching them a new knitting technique, the online session served to create an awareness about the importance of sustainability and encouraged them to look for eco-friendly alternatives such as substituting plastic shopping bags with sustainable Macramé options. The participants were awarded a Green badge. A recording of this session will be available for viewing on SGG’s Instagram account (@shjgirlguides) from August 10, 2020.

Brownies learnt about financial responsibility and the need to save for the future, as well as the importance of donating for charitable purposes at the August 16 online workshop titled ‘The Art of Giving’. They were first taught to make their own piggy bank to help them save money to achieve their financial goals and also allot a part of their savings for charity.

At‘Homemade Pickle Jars’, the workshop for Brownies and Guides that was held on August 22, the girls learnt the craft of pickling vegetables to extend their shelf life. They were also taught about the health benefits of pickles when consumed in moderation. The participants earned a Mustadeem Club badge.

The workshop on August 29 for Brownies titled ‘The Organised Brownie’, the participants learnt the mental, physical and emotional benefits of getting rid of clutter in their lives, and ways of organising their daily routine to save time and lead stress-free lives. They were taught to make weekly organisers to create a workable routine, set goals and achieve them. The session also helped the girls develop their problem-solving skills. They were presented with Social Skills badges.

Guides and Senior Guides learnt the basic steps of tidying up to lead a clutter-free and organised life at the online session on August 30 titled ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’. The workshop was conducted by Salam Shaban, the first certified consultant in the UAE. It gave the girls step-by-step guidelines to getting rid of unimportant items, tidying up their space and bringing joy into their lives and earned them a Social Skills badge.

SGG’s workshops programme for August was designed to ensure that its members stayed active and engaged in the safety and comfort of their homes, while learning important life lessons and new skills across many fields.