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Dubai, UAE: Aster Volunteers, the global corporate social responsibility initiative of Aster DM Healthcare hosted its 2nd Annual “Common Ground” event this morning, which saw Aster DM Healthcare employees and members of the Dubai Club for People of Determination gather in celebration of the International Day of Disabled Persons.
Other attendees included representatives of SENSES – Residential Day Care for Special Needs, The Dubai Autism Centre, Vishakha School of Dance & Music for Special Children and Dubai Centre for Special Needs.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 11 percent of the UAE population live with a disability, with the UAE government placing an emphasis on driving inclusion.
Aster DM Healthcare, so far, has recruited 108 differently abled individuals, across different units, as part of one of the 6 pillars of the Aster Volunteers initiative - providing employment opportunities to the differently abled.
The “Common Ground” event, in its second year of inception has aimed to not just create awareness about the inclusivity of differently abled persons into the workplace and everyday lives but also to encourage differently abled children from various special needs organizations to participate in a day filled with fun and laughter.
The event was inaugurated by Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare and a keynote address was delivered by Chief Guest, Ms. Shobika Kalra, Founder – ‘Wings of Angelz’, a disability awareness group in UAE.
The “Common Ground” event took place at the Dubai Club for People of Determination. A ‘super heroes’ themed fashion show titled “Beyond Labels” was participated by differently abled children from The Dubai Autism Centre and Vishakha School of Dance & Music for Special Children and Dubai Centre for Special Needs.
Aster Volunteer and costume designer, Sushma Nair dressed the children while Aster Volunteer, dancer and special kids dance and art expert, Vishaka Verma choreographed the ramp walk and the group dance.
The flagship activity celebrated inclusivity alongside music and dance performances by differently abled children to mark the occasion and empower people of determination across the UAE.
In addition, as testimony to Aster DM Healthcare’s commitment to the community, Dr. Azad Moopen announced the launch of their sign language training program for Aster Volunteers which will soon be available on the Aster Volunteers website.
Dr. Azad Moopen, Founder Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare commented, “While each and every person is unique, what brings us all together is our admiration for stories of determination. Aster Volunteers proudly hosts the ‘Common Ground’ event to mark this global occasion with the aim of inspiring and motivating our communities.
With the blessings of the almighty and support of our UAE Rulers, we are committed to driving inclusion and providing, individuals that are challenged with a disability, a platform to reach their full potential in their professional lives.”
Mr. Thani Juma Berregad, Chairman of Dubai Club for People of Determination added, “We truly believe that people of determination have a lot to contribute to our communities and should not feel limited by their different abilities. The ‘Common Ground’ event by Aster DM Healthcare is a fantastic initiative to empower those individuals who show us the true meaning of determination and hard work every day, and we are honored to be a part of it.”
Mrs. Sajita Gopal, mother of Ms. Vaishnavi Gopal, at the event stated, “All these years our children had no opportunities to express themselves. The ‘Common Ground’ event has provided my daughter with a platform to showcase her talent. We, as parents, are proud to see our children perform on stage and enjoy at the same time knowing that the society has become more accepting of the special needs of our children.” Vaishnavi, 24 years old, suffers from Cerebral Palsy, a disability that affects that affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills. She is currently pursuing her undergraduate studies while working as an Assistant Librarian in a reputed school in Dubai.
The “Common Ground” event will be an annual feature by the Aster Volunteers team as part of continued efforts to raise awareness about the inclusivity of different abled persons in our day-to-day lives. In addition to the above event, there will be unit-wise celebrations across all locations to raise awareness about the same.
Aster Volunteers is a corporate social responsibility initiative of Aster DM Healthcare that has impacted over 1 million lives globally.
About Aster Volunteers, the global CSR programme of Aster DM Healthcare
Aster Volunteers programme, the global corporate social responsibility initiative of Aster DM Healthcare, was launched on occasion of the company's 30th anniversary in 2017 and provides a platform which bridges the gap between people who would like to help with those in need. Driven by Aster DM Foundation, through various initiatives, the programme has been able to impact 1 million+ lives across geographies. Operating primarily across 9 countries including GCC and India, Aster Volunteers have been able to treat 224,194 individuals through mobile medical camps; 152,897 people have benefitted from basic life support trainings and 30,580 free surgeries as well as health investigations were conducted; supported with the recruitment of 108 differently abled people and treated 464,284 people through 3,271 medical camps. The aid programme in Somali land, Jordan, Bangladesh and Kerala has benefitted 233,488 people.
About Aster DM Healthcare
Aster DM Healthcare Limited is one of the largest private healthcare service providers operating in multiple GCC states and is an emerging healthcare player in India. With an inherent emphasis on clinical excellence the Company is one of the few entities in the world with a strong presence across primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary healthcare through its 25 hospitals, 115 clinics and 231 pharmacies. These are manned by our 20,329+ workforce (including approx.. 1230 doctors on fee for service basis) from across the geographies that we are present in, delivering on a simple yet strong promise to its people: “We’ll treat you well.” We reach out to all economic segments in the GCC states through our differentiated healthcare services across the “Aster”, “Medcare” and “Access” brands.
For more information about us, please visit www.asterdmhealthcare.com or contact:
Bejoy Changarath
Assistant General Manager - PR & Media Relations
Aster DM Healthcare
Tel: +971 524073559
Email: bejoy.changarath@asterdmhealthcare.com
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