Dubai: Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC) has launched its participation in the Ministry of Education’s Back-to-School initiative, by delivering an interactive event titled “Kindness Makes Us Stronger.” The event aims to promote positive values and behaviours among students while strengthening their social and emotional skills through an engaging and interactive learning environment.

The first event was held at Al Saada School Primary School on 8 September, followed by a second at Al Mizhar School on 10 September, as part of a series of school visits targeting students across Dubai. Reaching nearly 200 children, the event focused on helping children understand and manage their emotions, build self-confidence and self-esteem, and develop essential skills that contribute to bullying prevention and positive interactions with others.
DFWAC’s participation supports the Ministry of Education’s efforts to put the principles of the National Education Charter into practice, nurturing values and positive behaviors that contribute to students’ character development, enhance quality of life within the learning environment, and foster a spirit of responsibility, cooperation and mutual acceptance among younger generations.

Her Excellency Sheikha Saeed Al Mansouri, Acting Director General of the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, affirmed that DFWAC’s participation reflects the importance of collaboration between educational and community institutions in creating a positive and safe school environment that supports children’s psychological and social well-being.

She added: “We believe that shaping a child’s character begins everyday moments:: a kind word that builds their self-confidence, the ability to understand and express their emotions, and learning to respect differences and interact positively with others. Through the ‘Kindness Makes Us Stronger’ event, we are turning these values into practical skills that students can learn and apply in their daily lives, helping prevent bullying, strengthen their sense of safety and belonging, and nurture a generation that is aware, responsible and capable of building healthy relationships and a more cohesive society.”

The event featured a series of interactive activities tailored to the participating age groups. These included “Your Words Have an Impact,” which highlighted the positive influence words can have on others and the importance of using them to promote effective communication. Another activity, “Managing Anger,” introduced breathing exercises to help children regulate their emotions and respond to them in healthy ways.
The event also featured the “My Feelings Are Valid” activity, designed to help children recognise, accept and express their emotions in healthy ways, while building self-confidence and self-esteem. Other activities focused on embracing differences, respecting others and developing positive communication skills, enabling children to engage with those around them with greater awareness and emotional balance.

The event was delivered under the supervision of DFWAC specialists as part of the Foundation’s awareness and prevention programs for children. These programs seek to support children’s psychological and social well-being, instil a culture of kindness and respect from an early age, strengthen emotional regulation skills and equip children with essential tools to help prevent bullying. The initiative also aligns with the objectives of Dubai Social Agenda 33 to build more stable and cohesive families and enhance quality of life across the community.