Overview about the Organization
 
On April 19, 2004, the law N؛(2) for the year 2004, pertaining to the establishment of Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care, Special Needs and Minors Affairs, was issued.  The law stated the junction of all official institutions and centers concerned with humanitarian care within the Emirate of Abu-Dhabi, to the current organization presently directed by its appointed board of directors.
The organization started its operations through the General Secretariat of the organization, following the issuance of the law.  Therefore, all administrations and centers started their functions in accordance with the yearly plan adopted by the Board of Directors. The Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care, Special Needs and Minors Affairs comprises among its different institutions and centers, Al-Ain Club for the Disabled. 

The Vision of the Organization
 
“To have the trust of the society, and be exceptionally competent in achieving the goals and hopes of its categories of people with special needs, orphans and minors, in order for them to become effective individuals in the society”.
 
The Mission of the Organization
 
An independent governmental organization that is always keen to spare no efforts in offering social and humanitarian services in an effective and trustworthy way through the following:

1-The best and effective exploitation of its human, financial and technical resources.
2-The best investment of the resources and funds of its categories.
3-The complete fidelity and responsibility in the fulfillment of its tasks.
4-The evolution and development of the scientific and cultural capacities of its categories.
5-The adoption of the values and principles inspired by the Islamic Shari’a.

Al-Ain Club for the Disabled

Overview about the Club

• Al Ain Club for the Disabled started its operations on 2/7/1997. The Club, located in Al Ain city, follows Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care, Special Needs and Minors Affairs, as it was joined to the organization according to Law No. 2 issued in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi on April 19, 2004. 
• The club has more than 400 male and female members with mobility, mental, hearing, visual and multiple disabilities.
• Moreover, the Club participates in all the sporting, educational and social events held for the disabled in the different emirates of the country, under the umbrella of the United Arab Emirates Disabled Sports Federation, during which the Club members achieved tens of medals and advanced positions.  In addition, the champions of the club has left their mark in the strongest international championships.  
• Since its establishment the club used the sports hall of the Center for Care and Rehabilitation of People with Special Needs in Al Ain as a temporary venue for practicing different sports, educational, and social activities.  Then came the precious offering of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, which included the establishment of new sports facilities next to the center’s building.  This contribution placed new hope in the hearts of club members urging them to put further efforts in what they do, which was evidenced in their achievement of 24 medals in the GCC Athletics Championship that was held in Dubai in March 2006, accomplishing the largest share of medals among all participating teams.  This was also the highest number of medals won ever since the establishment of the club 10 years ago.
• The club is currently seeking to establish a special section for females of all disabilities. This would meet the hopes of both genders of people with special needs in the city of Al Ain under the ruling of our wise government that considers man to be the real wealth and the most important element in the process of construction and progress of the country.

The Club’s Main Goals

1. Formulating public support to people with special needs and working on providing them with services and rehabilitation programs for their care; and issuing legislations and laws that ensure their rights as citizens and oblige the nation to provide them with rehabilitation services and appropriate work opportunities.  
2. Integrating the disabled person in society through care, rehabilitation and work; and strengthening the bond between them through travel and cultural exchange on the local, regional and international basis.
3. Working on developing friendly, cultural and social relationships with similar clubs working in this field, as well as institutions and organizations concerned with the disabled affairs on the local, regional and international levels.
4. Maintaining the interests of all categories of the disabled in the country.
5. Finding an outlet for people with special needs to practice various sports, educational and social activities.
   
6. Participating in the integration of the disabled in the society and working on achieving social solidarity.
7. Developing skills and qualifications of people with special needs.
8. Discovering, improving and working on the development of innovative disabled talents.
9. Strengthening the connections between the disabled themselves from one side, and between them and their fellows in the local society from another side.
10. Working on the development of friendly sports, educational and social relationships with similar clubs, institutions and organizations on the local, regional and international levels.

Support Services

The club has a Physical Therapy Unit equipped with a number of tools for rehabilitation and treatment of sport injuries for members of the club.  Furthermore, the unit is responsible to follow up on the members’ overall health conditions.

Sports Activities in Al Ain Club for the Disabled

	?Sport Activity	Disability Category
1	Athletics	Mobility – Brain Paralysis – Visual – Mental – Hearing – Amputation
2	Wheel Chairs Races	Mobility
3	Weight Lifting	Mobility
4	Shooting	Mobility – Hearing
5	Wheel Chairs Basketball	Mobility – Brain Paralysis –Amputation
6	Basketball	Mental
7	Special Olympiad Games	Mental
8	Football	Hearing
9	Bowling	Hearing – Mental
10	Hand Bike	Mobility

 

P	Championship Name and Date	Medal Type
		Gold	Silver		Bronze
1	GCC Weight Lifting Championship in Saudi Arabia - May 1998				1
2	Athletics World Championship in Birmingham/Britain –  August 1998				1
3	Pan-American Olympic Games – June 1999	1
4	German Open Athletics Championship in Shfertengen –  August 1999	3	3
5	Wheelchairs World Championship in New Zealand – October 1999		1
6	Australia Open International Championship – October 1999		1
7	18th GCC Championship in Kuwait – November 1999	1	2		1
8	GCC Special Olympic Games in Qatar – March 2000	1
9	British Open Championship in Sheffield – May 2000	6
10	1st African and Middle East Championship in Tunisia –  June 2000	5	2		1
11	GCC Basketball Championship in Bahrain – October 2001				5
12	Special Olympic Games  in Qatar – December 2001				2
13	2nd African and Middle East Championship in Egypt – January 2002	1	2
14	2nd GCC Athletics Championship in Saudi Arabia – April 2002	1	10		1
15	British Open International Championship in Birmingham –  August 2003	2	7		1
16	Netherlands Open Athletics Championship – August 2003	5
17	GCC Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Kuwait – 2004				4
18	British Open International Championship in Birmingham –  May 2004	6	5		1
19	Czech Open International Championship – July 2004	1	4		2
20	Tenth Arab Championship in Algeria – October 2004	1	1		2
21	Czech Open International Championship in Pardubice – July 2005	4	3		5
22	German International Championship in Berlin – August 2005				1
23	31st GCC Athletics Championship in Dubai – March 2006	14	9		1
24	Malaysia “Fespic” Games in Kuala Lumpur – November 2006	1	4		1
25	GCC Wheelchair Basketball Championship in Kuwait –  December 2006		3
26	Al Ain International Wheelchair Reunion in Al Ain –  February 2007		3		3
27	Korea Open Shooting Championship in Korea – May 2007	1
28	Tunisia International Athletics Reunion – May 2007	2	3		6
29	German International Athletics Championship in Singen –  July 2007	3	1
30	Czech International Athletics Championship in Olomouc –  August 2007		1		2
31	International Games in Taipei Taiwan – September 2007	2	1		1
32	GCC Athletics Championship in Qatar – November 2007	8	2		2
33	Arab Games in Egypt – November 2007	1	2
34	Shooting Grand Prix Championship in Sydney, Australia – November 2007	2
35	Asian Weightlifting Championship in Malaysia – December 2007		1		1
Total		72	71		45
General Total				188 medals

 

Al Ain Meeting – United Arab Emirates
18-19 February 2007
 
 
 
Al-Ain International Wheelchairs Meeting 2007 was held for the first time at Al-Ain City in the United Arab Emirates. It is the first sports event of its kind to be held in the Middle East. This Meeting aims at attracting the maximum number of the world’s distinctive sportsmen specialized in wheelchairs races. Its purpose is to raise the level of sportsmen in the region and provide a high-level competition that will help expand this sport which is the most expanded, enjoyable and exciting kind of sport in the world. Players of the following national teams participated in this Meeting:
France – Algeria – Kuwait, in addition to players from different United Arab Emirates’ clubs belonging to categories: T53 and T54. The rules and regulations of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) and the International Paralympics Committee (IPC) have been implemented for the first time at the Al-Ain International Wheelchairs Meeting, and its results were internationally adopted on the Middle Eastern level.
 
Contests at the Meeting:

• Category T53: 100m, 200m, and 400m.
• Category T54: 100m, 400m, and 1500m.
• 10 km joint road race for both categories T53 and T54.

The second Al Ain International Wheelchair & Handbike Meeting 2008 was hosted by Al Ain City with a wide Arabic and International presence.  Fifty five male and female players participated in this meeting representing 13 countries:
Germany – China – Thailand – Poland – France – Czech Republic – Slovakia – Switzerland – Austria – Burkina Faso – Tunisia – Saudi Arabia, while fifteen players from Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Sharjah, and Khorfakan Clubs represented the national team of the United Arab Emirates.
Furthermore, twenty five referees recognized by the UAE Athletics Federation arbitrated the different competitions of the second Al Ain International Wheelchair & Handbike Meeting.

Contests at the Meeting:

• The Handbike Half Marathon Competition (for men and women).
• 10 km joint road race for category T54 (for men and women).  
• Awards were presented to winners at this meeting by HH Sheikh Zayed Bin Hamdan Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and financial prizes for winners of different positions and competitions were distributed. 

Al Ain Club for the Disabled 

Contact Information
 
Al Ain Club for the Disabled
P.O. Box: 1057 Al Ain – United Arab Emirates
Tel.:  +971-3-7820990
Fax:  +971-3-7810770
 
E-mail:  alaindis@eim.ae 

Website:  http://www.zayedhicare.ae