Today's Edition
SADEQ ALKHOORI (ABU DHABI)
As the world marks International Youth Day, Zayed Authority for People of Determination is highlighting a model where youth empowerment is built through training, production and practical contribution.
At its centres, young people of determination are being supported to develop skills across farming, food production, tailoring, fabrication, innovation and other fields that connect inclusion with work and community participation.
That model was at the centre of "Youth on Zayed's Path: From Farming to Sustainability and Empowerment", an event that focused on how young people of determination are contributing to sustainability and innovation through hands-on roles.
Abdullah Alhumaidan, Secretary General of Zayed Authority for People of Determination, told Aletihad the central message of the initiative is "continuity of vision."
"The values established by the late Sheikh Zayed - investing in people, protecting our resources, and building a productive society - remain highly relevant today," he said.
He said the initiative connects that legacy with the role of today's youth, while showing that people of determination are "not only beneficiaries of development, but partners in advancing sustainability, productivity and innovation."
For Alhumaidan, the wider purpose is to place people of determination at the centre of contribution.
"Sustainable inclusion must move from participation to contribution, and ultimately to leadership," he told Aletihad.
He said initiatives like this can create longer-term pathways through training, employment, entrepreneurship, research and innovation opportunities.
Skills that Become Work
Across the centre, the idea of contribution was reflected in different training areas. The visit included food production, 3D printing, tailoring, barista training, farming and innovation projects designed around practical needs.
At the cheese factory, Sara Almessabi, Trainer and Expert at the centre, told Aletihad that the aim is to instil the value of productivity in students and give people of determination an active role in society.
She said trainees are involved in the full production process, from receiving milk and measuring its temperature to pasteurisation, cooling, straining, pressing and preparing the final product.
"They are with us step by step through every stage," she said.
For Almessabi, the factory is also about confidence, responsibility and independence.
"Their disability should not prevent them from being part of the community," she told Aletihad.
She said she has seen trainees become more confident through the work, including students with autism who now speak with visitors and explain what they do.
"When a visitor comes and compliments their work, I see their reaction," she said. "Sometimes I feel even happier than they do."
Confidence through Responsibility
In the sewing workshop, Amna Ibrahim Al Hossani told Aletihad that the work helped her build confidence and take on a more active role.
She helps prepare materials, supports trainers and explains products to visitors. The workshop produces bags, shawls, recycled bags and other items requested by partners or visitors.
"I reached the stage where I built trust in myself," she said. "When I explain to guests, I became confident."
For Al Hossani, the work is also linked to service.
"I like to help my country," she told Aletihad. "Anything my country gives to me, I'm always there for my country."
The event's strongest message was that youth empowerment becomes clearer when it is seen through responsibility. For young People of Determination at the centre, sustainability was shown through skills, production and the chance to contribute in visible ways.
