'It's a duty to serve community'

Al Ain: Sincere and dedicated work to help the community gives a feeling of satisfaction and a huge sense of achievement, said Rashid Mohammad Al Daheri, a winner of the 2008 Abu Dhabi Awards.

The 74-year-old Emirati has been working for many years to increase literacy levels among women living in Al Ain to enable them to gain knowledge of the Quran and Islam.

Most of the students at Al Daheri's Islamic studies centre and mosque, located in Hai Al America in the Al Jimi district, are elderly women.

Al Daheri, who is a retired government employee, has been financially supporting his endeavour without any outside support. The centre has a 20-member teaching and support staff.

"It is a person's duty to do something for the community and I felt it when I was working at the office of the President's Representative in the Eastern Region," said Al Daheri.

Tough

He chose to impart religious knowledge, including teaching the Quran, to women.

"My centre and mosque are open for females of all ages wishing to gain Islamic knowledge and Quranic education," he said. It was a little tough in the beginning for him but his dedication steered him through.

He had just 20 students back in 1995 when he built the Istiqama Mosque.

More than 800 women, including elderly women and children, are now studying at the centre, he said.

Al Daheri built the free education centre, called the Istiqama Centre in 2002. The centre has eleven classrooms, two libraries and a nursery.

He said the focus of the education at his centre is the Quran and Hadith, the sayings of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), along with the spread of social values.

"We have been running different projects, events, competitions, to encourage young and elderly females to participate," he said.

Al Daheri showed his happiness on being one of the recipients of the Abu Dhabi Awards. "The actual recognition is from Allah All Mighty for which I have been striving," he said.

He also thanked President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan for recognising and supporting the individuals' efforts.

Winners: Roll of honour

The Abu Dhabi Awards are held under the patronage of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Winners for the 2008 Abu Dhabi Awards were rewarded for their contribution in building and supporting the community of Abu Dhabi.

This year's recipients are:

Two posthumous awards were given to;