American University of Sharjah
EN-13: Community Service

 HAND IN HAND: RENOVATING ORPHAN HOMES This project involves AUS students volunteering their skills, talent and time to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. This program is held in collaboration with local humanitarian organizations.  FEED THE NEEDY CAMPAIGN This campaign is aimed at promoting productive relationships with the external community. Through this campaign, students realize the value of helping the needy and become concerned with societal needs. This campaign is carried out by the CS Volunteers whose activities are specifically aimed at benefitting the needy under the care of UAE charities.  RAMADAN CHARITY IFTAR The Ramadan Charity Iftar is held on campus every Ramadan that coincides with the semester for groups such as the elderly, handicapped and orphans. This program provides an opportunity for students to perform humanitarian work during the holy month of Ramadan.  AUS AWARENESS DAY AUS Awareness Day is organized annually in collaboration with various private and governmental organizations to raise awareness among students about health and safety issues. Various exhibitions, presentations, one-on-one consultations and free tests are offered during the day-long event.  BLOOD DONATION Blood donation campaigns are organized every semester in collaboration with the University Health Center and the Sharjah Ministry of Health. This campaign helps the lives of many people who are in need of blood transfusion.  CHARITY FUNDRAISERS Charity fundraisers support various charity organizations through a variety of on-campus fundraisers such as a bake sale and annual charity week.  CLEANCO APPRECIATION Held prior to the end of the academic year, in collaboration with some university faculty and staff members, the Cleanco Appreciation Party is organized in appreciation of the university's cleaning staff for their efforts and contributions to the campus community. The event involves fundraising, a dinner and gift distribution.  TOY STORIES INITIATIVE This initiative encourages student volunteers to explore their creativity by crafting hand-stitched toys which are then presented to orphans and children with special needs.  AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE This initiative seeks to educate student volunteers with the basic understanding of the American Sign Language that will enable them to interact and communicate with the deaf and mute while they perform social work.  COMMUNITY SERVICE FARM This mini farm on campus is nurtured by student volunteers. Students irrigate and grow plants utilizing sustainable methods that allow them to contribute to global environmental initiatives.  CHARITY USED BOOK SALE This initiative is a combination of fundraising and sustainability. Students and community members can dispose off their used books by donating them to the event where they are sold for a donation and re-used. Proceeds are used to fund various AUS charity initiatives.  ALTHIQAH CLUB FOR HANDICAPPED Active AUS’s volunteers teach students at Althiqah Club for Handicapped, both basics of English language and basics of Computer. The classes take place on weekly basis and each class last for one 45 mints. This program started since three years back, and till now.  CHARITY BAZAAR The aim of this event, as the name suggests, was to raise funds for the various charitable purposes that the community services division supports. Participants are governmental, non-governmental entities including AUS staff and students.  ADOPT AN ORPHAN FOR ONE DAY This initiative was started in Spring 2017 to allow AUS volunteers to spend time with orphans and play, eat and ultimately put a smile on their faces. Volunteers pair with the orphans and each pays the orphan a meal and gift (a ticket fees may be included) and to take care of him/her the entire trip  ELDERLY HOME VISIT Visit to the elderly home, enhances student volunteers feeling of responsibility towards their community and emphasizes the value of social communication. This event is soul enriching for the AUS students who got to spend time talking and even feeding the elderly people present there, to comprehend the value of the elderly people.  INTERNATIONAL VOLUNTEERING TRIP The international volunteering trips proved success and benefit to AUS student volunteers, the previous three International Volunteering Trips were; Sri Lanka Spring 2016, Nepal Spring 2017, Jordan Spring 2018. This initiative will enhance Community Services international volunteering opportunities, enriches student’s experiences, and highlights AUS’s image globally in the field of volunteerism.  TRAININGS To educated volunteers on the basics e.g. of first aid training and teach students how to react under emergency situations when someone is in need of medical help. A professional trained lecturer holds the workshop from UAE Red Crescent who demonstrates and teaches the volunteers essential skills. Other workshops do not result in direct or immediate benefit to the society, we believe in training and educating our volunteers to be prepared for any situation where they might need to help someone else and/or contribute to the community. Diversification of skills is very important for volunteers in order to benefit the society in different ways.