Ohood Al Roumi read a book by HH Sheikh Mohammed to the rapt audience.
When it comes to visitors, you’ll be hard pressed to beat one whose job is all about happiness.
And that’s what young patients at Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital got this week, when HE Ohood Al Roumi dropped by for story time.
The Minister of Happiness was the first to take part in the hospital’s new volunteering programme, setting an example during the UAE’s Year of Giving.
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Al Roumi read to a crowd of children undergoing treatment at the hospital, and chose a book by Dubai’s ruler for the occasion.
Two Great Leaders, by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, charts the story of Sheikh Zayed, the Emirates’ founding father, as well as that of late former prime minister Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum.
Sheikh Mohammed is actually the brains behind the 200-bed hospital itself, ordering its construction as a “gift” to the children of Dubai.
The facility, which officially opened last year, is even named after the royal’s young daughter, Sheikha Al Jalila.
Its new volunteering programme – titled Abtaal Al Jalila or Al Jalila Heroes – was also inspired by Dubai’s ruler and his values of “sharing, compassion, and tolerance”, according to the hospital’s website.
HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, wife of Sheikh Mohammed, later praised Al Roumi and the hospital’s scheme, taking to Instagram to tell her 237,000 followers she was “proud to see [the hospital] launch its inspirational volunteer programme”.
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“The UAE is constantly striving to innovate, inspire and transform paediatric healthcare,” the royal wrote.
Al Roumi also revealed she was happy to take part in the programme, and urged others to sign up too.
سعيدة بالمشاركة في إطلاق البرنامج التطوعي لمستشفى الجليلة للأطفال، التطوع عطاء خلاق يعزز السعادة والإيجابية في المجتمع 💕@JalilaChildrens pic.twitter.com/o16b9obVuN
— عهود الرومي (@OhoodAlRoumi) August 19, 2017
And there’s still four months left of the UAE’s Year of Giving, so now might be a good time to give back to the community.
You can sign up for the scheme, which is currently looking for volunteers to help greet patients and assist with general enquiries, by clicking here.
HH Sheikh Mohammed also launched a national volunteer platform earlier this year, which allows people to donate their time to many worthy causes.
If you want to find out more about how you can get involved with that, then read more here…
Images: HRH Princess Haya/Instagram
