For many years, the UAE has been a regional leader in establishing incubators that focus on fostering and developing talents and empowering future generations to play leading and influential roles in social and business sectors. Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah, a subsidiary of the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Creating Future Leaders and Innovators, has played a major role in that process, creating a generation of creative girls who can contribute to community and economic development.

Speaking on World Youth Skills Day, Sheikha Aisha Khalid Al Qasimi, Director of Sajaya said, "This day calls for increased prospects for young people to gain access to quality training and skills development globally and through Sajaya, 4,000 female members have so far benefited from women’s empowerment programmes since its establishment in 2012.

Highlighting Sajaya’s achievements in developing the personalities of its members and sharpening their talents, Sheikha Aisha said, "Throughout the year, Sajaya organises many camps, workshops and domestic and foreign trips dealing with artistic, sporting and cultural aspects to empower the girls with daily life skills. Among these are workshops on self-development and life skills, among other seasonal programmes to engage them in field training. Sajaya also organises annual programmes such as the one-week Afaaq Leadership Camp, which is designed to equip our members with diverse leadership skills."

Sheikha Aisha underscored the importance of programmes and trips that help Sajaya take stock of the best international practices in youth empowerment and the continuous upgrading of services to allow young members to gain experience.

This, she said, falls perfectly in line with the vision of H.H. Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Rubu’ Qarn Foundation for Creating Future Leaders and Innovators, to prepare generations of Emirati female leaders who are able to meet the challenges of the future.

In its pursuit of adopting those best practices, the Sajaya team has visited several overseas institutions and projects that share the same goals, including the ‘Youth City 2030’ in Bahrain, the Play Town Project Mini Munich in Germany, the United Nations Conference on Youth in New York, and a number of youth organisations in the United Kingdom.