Introduction
Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs (ZHO) is a government organization that caters for needs of orphans and people with special needs. The organization offers humanitarian services to needy people in Abu Dhabi Emirates region. Its objective is to support needy people to aid them to make their contribution to society. Since its inception, the organization has grown into an umbrella organization that heads all humanitarian organizations, orphanages, social services bodies, and institutions linked to humanitarian services in the Emirates. Any organization developed to cater for people with special needs is registered under ZHO.
History and establishment
ZHO was established in 2009 based on a directive from the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The organization was established under Law No. (2) of 2004. It was founded to cater for needs of orphans and people with special needs in the Emirates. The main objective of its founding was to empower orphans and people with special needs using financial, human, and technological resources to elevate their position and role in society.
Vision and mission
The organization’s vision is to grow into an organization whose services win the society’s trust and confidence by achieving its objectives in an efficient manner. In addition, the organization envisions fulfilling expectations and needs of orphans and individuals with special needs in order to make them active in society.
The mission of ZHO is threefold. First, it aims to provide rehabilitation, educational, and therapeutic services to individuals with special needs. It strives to apply internationally accepted standards in the field of rehabilitation and special care to achieve its objectives. Second, it aims to integrate orphans and people with special needs into the community. Third, it aims to promote the utilization of financial, technological, and human resources to facilitate quality special care to individuals.
Contacts
The organization’s main office is located behind Carrefour building on Airport Road. Its phone number is + 971 2 698 5555, while its fax number is + 971 2 441 8099. Offices hours run from Sunday to Thursday from 7.30 am until 3.30 pm. Public service hours run from Sunday to Thursday same time as office hours. Their address is 35444.
Services
Services offered by ZHO include health, sports clubs, blind printing services, agricultural services, early intervention, vocational training, special needs employment, inclusion, and psychological and social counseling. Other services include service of academic education, therapy, and assessment. ZHO has 12 centers spread across Abu Dhabi that offer special services to disabled people enabling them to become part of the community.
The organization provides an array of services specially tailored for people with special needs. They include speech therapy, physiotherapy, early intervention, functional therapy, psychological care, counseling, and special training and education. The organization also has a branch that takes care of orphans. The Orphan Care Sector aims to create a supportive educational environment that promotes positive behaviors among orphans as well as instilling knowledge and developing skills. In addition, it aims to develop personalities that enable orphans to adapt and interact with different cultures on a global scale.
Sectors
The organization has two main sectors. These include the special needs sector and the Dar Zayed sector. The special needs sector takes care of individuals with special needs and manages about eight centers. The Dar Zayed center offers family care mainly to orphans. It has four corners that include the youth corner, family corner, incubation corner, and the family counseling corner.
Publications
ZHO has produced many publications that highlight its services and achievements. Publications are classified into different groups that include Itlalah, Special Needs Sector Booklet, Excellence Bulletin, Konooz Publications, Thimar Alkheir, and ACCESS Abu Dhabi 2011. These publications contain different articles that cover services offered by the organization. Information about the organization’s activities, plans, challenges, and achievements can be obtained from these publications.
Goals
The organization has several goals that it strives to achieve by offering different services to orphans and people with special needs. Their goals include the integration of people with special needs into the community, education, and training of orphans, rehabilitation of people with special needs, and care of people with disabilities.
Service delivery
To facilitate effective service delivery, ZHO strives to expand its facilities in order to accommodate more people. It has adhered to its founder’s wish to expand the organization’s scope of service to include new sectors that provide special services. For example, the organization has worked hard to provide therapeutic services in all centers in Abu Dhabi. Currently, the organization manages 12 centers and sporting facilities under the Special Needs Sector.
The sporting facilities include Abu Dhabi Special Needs Club and Al Ain Club that caters for the disabled. The other centers include Zayed Agricultural Center for Development and Rehabilitation, Abu Dhabi Center, Sila Center, Giyath Center, Al Koua Center, and Delma Center among others. Most of these centers provide rehabilitation, therapeutic, and educational services in order to serve many people.
Strategy
The organization’s strategic plan comprises three goals based on three perspectives. The first perspective consists of three priority strategies. These include research and studies, serving and supporting people with special needs, and rehabilitating orphans. The second perspective based on operation and technology. Under this perspective, strategic priorities include the development of infrastructure, leadership, and excellence.
The third perspective based on the development of human resources. Strategic priorities under this perspective include the enhancement of employee qualification and acquisition of employee best practices. The organization has established 36 strategic initiatives that it seeks to achieve within the next five years. The organization’s Strategic Planning Department collaborates with different stakeholders to update and implement the strategic plan to ensure that ZHO achieves its goals. The organization’s strategy involves the provision of all services in all its centers across Abu Dhabi through partnerships with other organizations. To facilitate quality service delivery, ZHO strives to offer educational, therapeutic and rehabilitation services in all its centers.
Partners
ZHO’s partners include Abudhabi Tourism Authority, Family Development Foundation, Higher Colleges of Technology, Health Authority-Abu Dhabi, and Municipality of Abu Dhabi City. Others include Abu Dhabi Education Council, BOS, Abu Dhabi Airports Company, GIZ, Abu Dhabi Systems & Information Centre, Emirates Foundation, Al Khawarizmi International College, Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan Cultural Center, and Al Hilal Bank.
Conclusion
Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care and Special Needs (ZHO) was founded in 2009 to care for orphans and people with special needs. It offers education, rehabilitation, and therapeutic services. Its goals include the inclusion of orphans and people with special needs into the community and rehabilitation of people with special needs. To facilitate service delivery, ZHO collaborates with other organizations. It has many centers that offer services such as early intervention, vocational training, special needs employment, inclusion, and psychological and social counseling