The ‘Brownies’ and ‘Guides’ in Sharjah have received lifestyle instruction at a series of workshops designed to imbue them with important skills for adulthood. Taking place over the five last days of March, the programme of Sharjah Girl Guides designed for Brownies and Guides featured team building exercises, cookery lessons, self defence classes and practical recycling. The programme is set to continue at a forthcoming Spring Camp that commences April 3.

“Sharjah Girl Guides was established to provide guidance for children and young women in Sharjah, with a focus on providing them with skills that help them in their own endeavours as well as allow them to contribute meaningfully to their communities. We set up this series of activities from March 27-31 so that members of the Brownies as well as of the Guides could learn valuable lessons that have a practical dimension and that contribute to their personal development,” said Shaikha Alshamsi, Assistant Manager at Sharjah Girl Guides.

The first activity in the five-day programme took the form of a team building activity for the Guides. The event challenged participants with a series of tasks designed to help them communicate effectively with their peers and to act as one for maximum effectiveness. The following day featured a number of activities, including self defence, designed to enhance girls’ awareness of their surroundings and develop the skills to overcome an assailant. The day also saw the Guides receive general fitness advice and take part in a cookery skills workshop.

The importance of recycling was also highlighted, with the Guides discovering how to recycle glass jars into candles by filling them with used crayons.

Sharjah Girl Guides programme of skills workshops will continue this month, with activities from April 3-7 that include further team building exercises.

Brownies, on the other hand, participated in ‘Meeting my Future’ programme which shed light on their different possible future careers. Trips to Sharjah Centre for Astronomy and Space Sciences and Mleiha Archaeological and Eco-Tourism Project were organised as part of the programme.

This programme also provided Brownies with instructions on taming animals and taking good care of them. Brownies were happy to visit Al Khor Park in Dubai (Dubai Creek Park) and were very excited to see the exciting bird show. They also discovered their artistic skills through desiging their t-shirts and making their own doll.

The guiding movement was first established in Sharjah in 1973 after which it spread to all seven Emirates, giving rise to the Girl Guides Association of the United Arab Emirates in 1979. Currently SGG aims to inspire and nurture future generations to become progressive global citizens by providing a platform for girls to enhance and develop to their fullest potential. It is supported by Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, is Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in the United Arab Emirates.