Sulayem helps drive awareness campaign for special needs children

UAE rallying legend Mohammed Ben Sulayem will help put new drive behind a campaign to assist people with special needs at the weekend.

More than 200 children from 42 special needs centres across the UAE will assemble at the Dubai Autodrome on Friday for a fun-filled activity day organised by the Special Needs Awareness Programme (SNAP).

Sulayem, the 14-times FIA Middle East rally champion, will join a team of other volunteer drivers who will give the children a day to remember by taking them through a series of circuit laps, sprints and auto tests.

UAE car clubs are providing more than 100 vehicles for the day, and Sulayem will get behind the wheel of two F1 specification models contributed by Renault – a Renault Clio and a Renault Megane Sport.

Sulayem, President of the Automobile and Touring Club for the UAE, said: "I took part in a similar event last year and it was so good to see the enjoyment on the faces of the children. Events like this not only bring a lot of pleasure to the children and their families but also create more awareness of their needs."

SNAP was founded by Theresa Gobbara, whose daughter, Randa happens to have Down Syndrome. The "Lap with Snap" event on Friday is just one of a series of year-round activities she organises for persons with special needs.

"Our aims are to help persons with special needs achieve their full potential," she said. "We want to raise awareness, raise funds, and build links with employers for special needs people, many of whom sit at home with lots to offer but no job prospects."

She added: "The message we want to send out on Friday is, just because someone is in a wheelchair, it doesn’t mean they don’t want to have fun like everyone else, and jump into a red Ferrari."

"We’ve had a very good response from special needs centres, and children will be coming to the Autodrome from Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Ajman and Khor Fakkan. Any other families with special needs children are welcome to bring them on Friday and give them a day to remember."

Among the upcoming projects planned by SNAP is a bid to create the world’s largest artwork on canvas, with special needs people invited to paint a square in the colour of the sand representing the Emirate where they live.

SNAP aims to influence UAE communities to recognise the talents and qualities of people with special needs who find it difficult to become involved in activities of interest due to the lack of opportunity. The overall goal is to empower the individual to aspire to a higher and fuller life.

- Tony Lewis, Total Communications Dubai - also photos