Winners of Z-Corp’s ‘I am talented’ contest held in collaboration with Al Wafa Centre in Sohar announced.

Muscat: Winners of Zubair Corporation (Z-Corp) organised art contest “I am talented” have been announced after the successful completion of the initiative. To encourage children with disabilities and special needs, Z-Corp’s ‘collaboration team’ had conducted a three-week long art contest “I am talented” in association with Al Wafa Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children.

The 10 winners of the contest are: Safa Al  Salhi (Al Wafa Centre for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, Sohar),  Ahmed Al Qasmi (Ibn Duraid School for Basic Education), Juhaina Al  Sadi (Al Wafa Center for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, Suwaiq), Ameeral Al Qutati (Al Wafa Centre for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, Al  Khaboura), Hanan Al Kindi, (Al Wafa Centre for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, Sohar), Tasneem Al Kharousi (Haneen School, Saham),  Al Muhanad Al Ghaithi(Mahboob School), Ali Al Mayasi (Al Wafa Centre for Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities, Shinas), Al Khalil Al Bada’ai (Bright Generations Centre, Sohar) and Abdullah Al Maqbali(Autism Centre, Sohar)

The centres and schools which participated in the competition are Al Wafa Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children in Sohar, Al Wafa Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children in Al-Khaboura, Al Wafa Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children in Shinas, Al Wafa Rehabilitation Centre for Disabled Children in Suwaiq, Generations Centre for Autism in Saham, Sohar Autism Centre, Haneen School, Al Safa School, Jewels Elm School, Al Rayyan School, Balj Bin Aqba School,  Ibn Darain School, Mahboob bin Al ahil school and Tabuk School.

The jury consisted of artists Mohammad Al Balushi, Ahmed Al Al-Muqbali, Shamsa Al-Eisaei and Maryam Al-Balushi.

Mr. Salem Al-Muqbali, Head of Al-Wafa Centre for the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities in Sohar said, “We are grateful to Z-Corp and its collaboration team for organising successfully such an imaginative contest for the benefit of disabled children. The contest provided an exciting opportunity for children with disabilities and special needs from around North and South Al Batinah governorates to display their talent.  We must all remember that arts provide essential skills for students with disabilities to express themselves. Art truly brings children with disabilities great joy and build high self-esteem. Disabled children have a broad imagination and are innately creative as we have seen in the art-work they have submitted for the contest. The judges have appreciated their art and we are very happy that so many children were able to participate.”

Faisal Al Mandhari, director of corporate communication at Z-Corp said, “We are delighted to have supported a contest that showcased the innate skills of these creative children.  It is important to remember that art for children with special needs helps in many ways including    building fine motor and problem-solving skills, enhancing communication and expression and promoting self-esteem and motivation to succeed. We thank the Al Wafa Centre for their logistic backing in organising this programme.  The objective of the art contest was to develop the artistic gifts, creative ideas and talent of the disabled and special needs children. The art contest was organised as part of Z-Corp’s corporate social responsibility to touch and improve upon the lives of the communities they live in. The Zubair Corporation’s strategy to bring focus to its continued and evolving socially relevant work as a responsible corporate house with intent to make a positive difference in the society.

Saleh Al Amri a member of Collaboration team’ said, “Art can help improve self-esteem, self-awareness and self-expression. We are happy to have organised the art contest for disabled children as it engaged their mind, body and spirit. For children, involving in arts cultivates cognitive abilities, and nurtures positive character traits. We are touched to have seen their creative pieces.”

The ‘collaboration team’ comprises of a group of employees of Z-Corp who participate in community initiatives which are planned and executed by them.