Wathba, the joint initiative by Sharjah Capability Development (Tatweer) and social entrepreneur Ally Salama-led EMPWR, will support youth empowerment and mental wellbeing across the Middle East and North Africa.
Tatweer is a government-led initiative that focuses on youth empowerment. The government-led entity has teamed up with Salama who has been on Forbes 30 Under 30 list to create the Wathba program, which will kick off next week.
“Tatweer has been invested in the power of the youth. We believe it’s our utmost responsibility to ensure that youth have access to support networks, resources, and an environment conducive to learning. With Wathba, we aim to do this at scale, unlocking the potential of youth across the MENA region. We are glad to be partnering with Ally Salama-led EMPWR, whose advocacy for mental wellbeing and youth empowerment in the region has been revolutionary,” said Khalid Al Nakhi, acting director of Sharjah Capability Development (Tatweer).
The joint initiative will include 12 wellness workshops of one-hour duration each, accessible to youth aged between 18-31 from corporates, universities, schools, and government institutions in the MENA region. The one-on-one program will offer safe spaces for discussions and opportunities for personalised learning. Wathba will choose a yearly cohort of 30 dynamic individuals and provide all-encompassing training, empowering them to become the best version of themselves.
The wellbeing program will be accessible across the MENA region, starting with the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, and the KSA. In the first edition, EMPWR will be supported by FloraMind, a US-based youth mental health organisation led by Forbes 1000 honoree and World Economic Forum speaker, Mahmoud Khedr. FloraMind and EMPWR have a region-wide partnership, which enables the implementation of their culturally-relevant and clinically-approved curriculum.
“Today’s youth are tomorrow’s leaders. So, their wellbeing and empowerment take precedence in the transitional and tumultuous time that the world is currently in. The partnership with a visionary like Tatweer is an ultimate validation of EMPWR’s impact in the region. We will build on the promise of Wathba, partner with more top-tier institutions and governing bodies, and strive for the sustainable development and wellbeing of youth in the MENA,” said Ally Salama, Founder of EMPWR.
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