The volunteers who selflessly dedicated their time and energy to help make the Sharjah
Children’s Reading Festival (SCRF) a success have thanked organisers and the young
attendees for making their job “one-of-a-kind”.
The annual event that brings together thousands of children from all over the UAE for a range of
activities including workshops, storytelling, comic shows, and book readings, has come to a
grand close today (Sunday) after 12 straight days of successful implementation.
With the presence of animation workshops throughout the festival, first-time volunteer, Iraqi
Anwaar Yaqoub, 29, said, “It was absolute fun! All the animation content was the best part for
me as an artist myself. I will treasure all the memories I made this year.” Omani Hamda Hisham,
another first-timer at SCRF, found the surge of excitement infectious and loved being part of
children’s activities. The 24-year-old said, “The joy these kids show when they see their
favourite characters was palpable and it really brought a smile to my face.”
For Rawan Najar, the chance to volunteer at SCRF for the third straight time was a “no-brainer”
as the 21-year-old Lebanese student of graphic design put it, and said she loved being involved
in helping to prepare the letters of appreciation for her colleagues this year. Emirati Hind Haif
said the festival exceeded their expectations, stating, “I came purely for the love of reading,
books, activities and to help the children and this year was amazing.”
Commenting on the opportunity to work with young children at the Sharjah Child Safety booth,
Emirati, Omnia Haider said, “I truly enjoyed interacting with kids, some as young as five, I felt a
sense of responsibility like never before.”
Bader Mohamad Saab, Director of Sharjah’s Government Communication Department,
expressed gratitude towards the volunteers, saying, “We are incredibly grateful to the volunteers
who gave more than their time and energy to make this festival a success.”
Zain Mohiyaldin, the leader of the festival’s dedicated team of 150 volunteers, commended their
commitment and enthusiasm, which were vital in ensuring that the festival ran smoothly and
efficiently. Mohiyaldin received an excess of 500 volunteer applications from over 10 nations
around the world before the start of the festival and chose those with sheer passion for the job.