Dubai: The Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC), launched a children's story titled “The Pencil That Found Himself” This came in celebration of World Children's Day and National Bullying Prevention Week, which is held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, “Mother of the Emirates”, President of the General Women’s Union, President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation.

The launch ceremony was held at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library’s headquarters, a space environment equipped according to the highest international standards. The event took place based on the library’s social responsibility and the importance it attaches to developing children’s skills and educating them, in line with its vision and sustainable knowledge strategy.

The National Bullying Prevention Week is being held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Mother of the Nation, Chairwoman of the General Women's Union (GWU), President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, and Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation (FDF).
“The Pencil That Found Himself” is a part of the Child Protection Program launched by the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children to promote awareness about child protection, combat bullying, and encourage conscious parenting through various campaigns, events, and publications.

Additionally, it aims to raise awareness about children's mental and emotional well-being while highlighting essential values such as kindness, empathy, and self-acceptance. The programme also targets children, parents, specialists and involves school visits as an integral component.

Highlighting the significance of the story, HE Sheikha Saeed Al Mansouri, Acting Director General of the Foundation, said that “The Pencil That Found Himself” was launched to support the foundation’s efforts being made to enhance children's awareness and protection. It uses engaging drawings and an appealing narrative to educate children about kindness, tolerance, self-acceptance, and the acceptance of others. It also encourages them to discover their talents and boost their self-confidence.

Dr. Mohammed Salem Obaid AlMazrooei, Board Member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library Foundation, said: "At the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, we believe in the importance of developing children’s skills and nurturing their self-confidence through unique events and activities that inspire creativity and innovation. We constantly strive to offer content that helps children discover their talents and develop their mental and emotional abilities.

AlMazrooei added: "Promoting tolerance among children by instilling the values of mutual respect and appreciation for cultural and social diversity among them is an integral part of our mission and sustainable strategy. Through strategic partnerships with educational and cultural institutions, we aim to develop innovative activities that support children’s continuous learning and contribute to expanding their cultural and knowledge horizons."
AlMazrooei stressed the importance of empowering new generations and investing in their education and developing their skills as the foundation for building a prosperous and harmonious knowledge society that understands the importance of knowledge and culture in shaping its future.
For her part, Shams Al Muhairi, Director of the Awareness and Community Service Department at the Foundation, highlighted that the story focuses on essential aspects that many children may encounter, including feelings of exclusion and isolation. The story encourages resilience, self-discovery, and recognition of one's abilities and talents, as well as fostering tolerance and acceptance of others. Al Muhairi noted that the story's simplicity in addressing children and its effective communication of positive ideas make it highly appealing to families.

In an inspiring speech, Amna Al Mansouri, winner of the Arab Reading Challenge 2023, emphasized the importance of launching the story, lauding the objectives that the Foundation seeks to achieve through releasing children's stories, which are integral to its child protection program. Al Mansouri highlighted the pivotal role that children's stories and books play in enhancing their awareness, instilling positive values, and mitigating instances of bullying.  

and in recognition of the importance of childhood, the promotion of creative learning for children, and the support of women in all fields, HFW Middle East LLP (HFW) has sponsored the launch of the story "The Pencil who found him self," published by the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children. The story was authored by Sabah Deebi, who works at HFW, based on her creative experience in writing for children, which has significantly contributed to stimulating the imagination and curiosity of children through this wonderful work.

The book presents an exciting and inspiring story that takes children on a magical journey to the world of imagination. Its goal is to promote self-confidence, confront bullying in all its forms, and highlight hidden talents.
This step comes within the framework of HFW's strategic approach to Community Development where the focus is on building strategic partnerships with organisations that have a strong alignment to providing meaningful educational content. The company expressed its pride in this achievement, as it emphasized the positive impact that the book can achieve by encouraging reading and developing children's intellectual skills.
Commenting on this event, HFW's Managing Partner, Mr. Yaman Al-Hawamdeh, said: "We are proud to have worked with the Centre and to present this wonderful and inspiring book to children. As a business we provide legal services to our clients, but thanks to the efforts of our colleague Sabah Deebi.