5,000 bags of books for new mothers across UAE

Sharjah - The first batch of bags was distributed to mothers to be at Al Qarain Medical Centre in Sharjah.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention, and Kalimat Group have commenced the distribution of 5,000 bags of books to mothers to be across the UAE who are expecting their first baby.

Titled 'Kitabi Al Awal' ('My First Book'), the initiative is aimed at encouraging mothers and families to foster good reading habits in their children from birth to three years.

Kitabi Al Awal is in line with October's designation as the 'Month of Reading' and with the UAE National Strategy for Reading 2016-2026, which has been formulated to build children's intellectual capacities and instil a love of reading from the very earliest years.

The first batch of bags under the Ministry of Health and Prevention and Kalimat Group's scheme was distributed to mothers to be at Al Qarain Medical Centre in Sharjah, with the women at the centre showing their support for the initiative and the important message it carries. In total the campaign will be covering more than 60 healthcare centres across the UAE.

Each one of the 5,000 bags in the initiative contains five Arabic books that have been carefully selected from Kalimat Group's publications. It also includes a dedicated guide-book for mothers that explains the importance of reading for children at an early age, with tips on how to instil the habit in their hearts and minds.

Shaikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, founder and CEO of Kalimat Group, highlighted Kitabi Al Awal as being one of the most important initiatives to be implemented during the UAE's 'Year of Reading.'

She emphasised that the campaign is aimed at building children's capabilities from early childhood by ensuring that they come to see books as sources of entertainment and develop reading as a meaningful hobby. She added that it will have a positive impact on children's futures by nourishing their sense of creativity and that the engaging text and illustrations found in the books will help trigger the child's imagination and lead to improving their cognitive abilities at an early age.

Shaikha Bodour Al Qasimi pointed out; "Investing in human beings is the most precious investment that any organisation can make and it is one we are proud to say that we have done throughout our history as a country. The future requires generations who are equipped with the skills to build and develop our nation, so what we need today are campaigns and initiatives such as Kitabi Al Awal that enhance capacities at the earliest of ages."

Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, said: "The implementation of this initiative is in line with the directives of the wise leadership on the National Strategy for Reading 2016-2026, which is aimed at building the intellectual capacities of our children. We believe that reading is the best way to do this as it stimulates children's minds to learn by triggering their imaginations. It also strengthens their relationship with their parents, as mums and dads are being given the opportunity to share this important educational method with their children."

The Kitabi Al Awal bags' five books were carefully selected according to specific educational and developmental criteria so that they would be appropriate and engaging for the youngest of children. The list of titles includes 'My Hands,' a book that describes the things that a child can do using their hands and 'My Feet', which similarly explains all the activities that can be done with their feet. The text and illustrations in both are designed to be interactive and help the child explore what their bodies are capable of.

'I Play with Daddy' is a book for fathers to read to their children, describing the loving fun that can be had between a dad and his child, while 'Go to Sleep' contains soft colours and rhythmical text designed to help children relax at bed time. 'Delicious Bite' is aimed at entertaining children at mealtime and reducing issues over fussy-eating.

Kalimat Group and the Ministry of Health and Prevention have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which sees the Ministry financing the Kitabi Al Awal initiative with Dh1 million. The sponsorship covers the production and distribution cost of 5,000 bags to 5,000 mothers who are having their first baby. Kalimat Group is providing the books from its array of publications, as well as the bags in which they are being delivered.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com

• Sharjah