Pen pals make a comeback in UAE

Dubai - The initiative has been gaining popularity since its launch.

A new local initiative is bringing back a touch of the good ol' days by matching kids in the country with pen pals.

British national Asha Sherwood came up with a modern take on the concept after she and her seven-year-old daughter Poppy had "been home for two weeks and exhausted several arts and crafts projects".

During a discussion on things Asha used to do as a youngster, she mentioned how they used to have pen pals.

"Poppy was amazed to hear how we had to wait for weeks, even months, for letters. Kids who are used to instant messaging services today cannot even comprehend having to wait that long for someone to respond."

The conversation inspired her to start #UAEPenPals, through which she paired Poppy with a friend's daughter.

To avoid using actual postal services due to the ongoing pandemic, the kids took photos of their letters that their parents would then exchange for them.

"It seemed to offer the best of both worlds, eliminating the waiting period, while meeting the requirements for a contactless method," said Asha.

The initiative has been gaining popularity since its launch. While she's happy to match kids up with pen pals, Asha said she's just as happy that many are taking this forward in their own communities on their own. - See Wknd.

• UAE
• Dubai