Qatar Diabetes Association (QDA) on Saturday organised the 24th edition of Al Bawasil Summer Camp for children with diabetes.
Organised by QDA under the motto of 'Yes, We Can', the six-day camp — the first-of-its-kind in the region — hosts 66 children aged 7 to 11 this year hailing from 11 countries, namely Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Sudan, Algeria, Libya, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Iran, and India.
Executive Director of QDA Dr Abdullah al-Hamaq underscored the significance of the camp which comes in QDA's belief and keenness in providing a healthy and appropriate climate for communities in the quest for raising the awareness of children with diabetes on how to live safely with this condition, in addition to providing latest information and establishing regional and global camps that would educate and raise awareness and operationalise the prevention methods.
In his inaugural remarks before the event, Dr al-Hamaq noted the keenness and interest in organising the camp under the patronage of the honorary President of QDA, HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, in a safe and interesting environment for children with diabetes to further achieve the therapeutic and cultural objectives for children with diabetes.
Dr al-Hamaq added that the camp is a significant opportunity for them to forge acquaintances with new friends and share the expertise those new friends have brought from abroad to lay the building blocks of a healthy community, thanking the Aspire Sports Excellence Academy for hosting this camp. He also thanked all those who supported and curated the camp, particularly the volunteers.
Al Bawasil Summer Camp is an interactive platform dedicated to helping children live with diabetes. It is steadfastly determined to help children learn the best methods of managing diabetes and live with it positively, in addition to enhancing their independence and confidence in themselves, as well as training them on applying the required steps and mechanisms to deal with the daily changes in sugar rates and take the decisions that best suit these changes accordingly.
The camp offers a platform for children's convergence to forge acquaintances in a safe and secure environment which profoundly alleviates the feeling of their loneliness and difference, in addition to encouraging them to be included in the environment to be able to strongly counter the challenges with confidence.
This year's camp positions itself as an authentic framework for all its events that include daily educational programme punctuated by recreational activities and workshops that are meticulously prepared by QDA, some of these events are held in collaboration with the Visual Art Centre, in addition to external trips, particularly at Katara Cultural Village Foundation, International Horticultural Expo 2023 Doha Qatar and farms.
The participating children in the event and others offered the song of Palestine, my country to the children of Palestine, particularly Gaza children whom this camp missed them.
