DUBAI - The Dubai Department of Customs and the Dubai Foundation for Women opened the first daycare center for mothers working in government departments in Dubai on April 5.

The preschool facility is one of the initiatives of the National Center for Child Welfare, which was launched by Sheikha Manal Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, the chair of the Dubai Foundation for Women and wife of Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, Minister of Presidential Affairs.

The centre provides daycare for working mothers employed by government institutions of Dubai. It occupies 350 square-meters and can accommodate up to 34 children between the ages of one and four.

The Dubai Customs Department has provided all the necessary equipment including toys, educational aids, and recreational and health care items. In addition, all of the furniture was made of natural, environmentally-friendly materials. The primary goal of the center is to ensure the safety of the children it cares for.

The opening ceremony was attended by Feryal Tawakol, the Executive Director of Human Resources at Dubai Customs, Maitha Al-Shamsi, Director-General of the Dubai Foundation for Women, and a number of staff and representatives from the media.

Tawakol stated that the creation of such a nursery is one of the most important social projects at the Dubai Customs. She expressed her gratitude for this pioneering initiative and the special attention given to working women, as they are key partners in the nation’s economic development process.

Shamsa Saleh said that the Dubai Foundation for Women launched the project to support and enable working mothers and to provide new employment opportunities for the women of the UAE who will staff the centre. Emirati women will be able to take part in training programs to prepare for jobs at other childcare institutions. There are a number of workshops in the planning stages to educate women targeted by the project about the importance of healthcare and provide additional support to women employees at various governmental institutions.

Sources: Emirates News Agency / Zawya.com