Dubai, UAE, 21 January, 2006: More accustomed to turbo design than building classrooms, kind-hearted GE staff built an Early Intervention Center for the children at manzil, Centre for Challenged Individuals, Sharjah as part of GE's volunteering programme.
Fifteen employees from across the spectrum of GE businesses, including Corporate, Energy, Security, Water, and Consumer & Industrial, volunteered their time to build a mobile classroom for the pupils at manzil to use as a creative learning environment. GE volunteers were responsible for designing, painting and sourcing all materials for the classroom and built it from scratch in just three weeks.
"GE Volunteers is a well established programme designed to give employees the opportunity to give back into the community and make a difference to causes such as manzil. As an organisation GE is committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can achieve their full potential," said Nabil Habayeb, President & CEO, GE Middle East & Africa.
The new mobile classroom was inaugurated recently when the volunteers got together with the management, teachers and students of the Center to officially cut the ribbon. The GE team including Nabil Habayeb, President & CEO, GE Middle East & Africa handed over the keys to the manzil's Director, Dr. Ayesha Husaini, before joining the pupils for a celebratory afternoon tea.
This Early Intervention Center enables manzil's pupils to benefit from a safe-play approach to learning including water play, outdoor art, sand play, imaginary home play and music as educational tools. The exterior of the classroom has been decorated in an ocean theme with bright colours and different marine life to help make learning fun and stimulate pupils.
"We hope the pupils will enjoy their new classroom as much as the GE team enjoyed building it for them. The classroom is a great place to bring learning to life with its bright colours and fun design," said Habayeb.
Since its opening in February 2005, manzil has gone from strength to strength making the student to staff ratio one of the lowest in the region. With more staff, pupils, learning facilities and contributions from volunteers and companies like GE, manzil is on track to achieve its aim of self-sufficiency for its pupils.
GE (NYSE: GE) is Imagination at Work -- a diversified technology, media and financial services company focused on solving some of the world's toughest problems. With products and services ranging from aircraft engines, power generation, water processing and security technology to medical imaging, business and consumer financing, media content and advanced materials, GE serves customers in more than 100 countries and employs more than 300,000 people worldwide. For more information, visit the company's web site at www.ge.com.
GE has been active in the Middle East since 1933. Its activities in the region are conducted through direct presence, joint ventures, strategic alliances, and a wide network of distributors. GE has completed strategic projects in various hi-tech industrial sectors, defence-related contracts and major infrastructure developments.
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