Association's Sustainability Initiatives

As part of our strategic investment in projects that enhance the Association's financial stability and contribute to our sustainability model, We are pleased to share a significant achievement of our contribution towards our country's net zero objectives. We have successfully installed a 150KW Solar Power Plant on the rooftop of our building. This plant is not just generating electricity to offset our electricity bills, but it's also significantly reducing our carbon footprint and promoting renewable energy usage within our facility. By connecting the plant to the national power grid, we have eliminated the need for power bank batteries, further enhancing the environmental benefits of this project. With the resulting lower operating costs, we can continue to provide our services to disabled children at an affordable rate. We extend our sincere thanks to the companies that have supported us in this initiative.

Paperless Electronic Invoices Initiative

The association must generate an invoice for all goods and services provided per the Omani regulations. There's strong evidence that going paperless and adopting an e-invoicing solution reduces cost and a friendly policy for our environment.
As part of our sustainability efforts, we promote e-invoicing and urge parents to request their bills electronically. This small change can make a big difference, helping us to reduce our carbon footprint and paper usage.

Hydroponic Vegetables Greenhouse and Therapeutic Horticulture

In our fast-paced society, the calming and therapeutic benefits of horticulture are gaining recognition. This is especially significant for individuals with intellectual disabilities, as gardening offers a unique array of physical, cognitive, and emotional advantages. The act of gardening not only makes us feel good but also has a profound impact on our health, from stress reduction to mood enhancement and cognitive function improvement.

Outdoor learning is crucial in boosting children's cognitive development and enhancing their attention and concentration. Horticultural therapy, as a part of this outdoor learning, contributes to the improvement of memory, cognitive abilities, language skills, and socialization.

For children with certain types of disabilities, traditional sports may not be feasible. However, gardening can serve as an effective alternative, helping to improve muscle tone through activities like bending, pulling, stretching, and light lifting. This, in turn, enhances coordination, motor skills, balance, and endurance.

Social Benefits: Children with special needs may have fewer opportunities to socialize or interact, and gardening with a group of children can provide a safe place to engage with others and make friends.

Emotional Benefits: Over time, while gardening, children develop patience as they wait for their effort to produce results. Gardening provides a sense of purpose, confidence, and achievement as children watch their seeds grow into plants. This sense of achievement can be a source of pride for both the children and their caregivers, instilling a sense of hope for their future. Furthermore, connecting with nature can reduce children's tension and improve moods.

Sensory Benefits: Children with autism may have extreme sensory reactions to many outdoor elements, but gardening can help them explore their senses positively. They see and touch a variety of plants or smell flowers. Children with sensory sensitivities may benefit from a therapeutic sensory garden, a sensory-oriented plant selection focused on color, texture, and fragrance specifically designed to facilitate interaction with the soothing elements of nature. Repeated exposure and guidance may decrease their negative responses and give way to positive outdoor experiences.

Our collaboration with Dar Alataa is a significant step towards ensuring our children can benefit from horticultural therapy. The establishment of a hydroponic greenhouse is a testament to our commitment to their well-being. We are eager to see the positive impact this will have on our children.

Using Recycled Water for Greenhouse Cooling and LandScaping

Cooling the greenhouse in hot summer weather is one of the challenges the association faces in maintaining acceptable temperatures due to the high volume of water consumption. To reduce the water bills, the association started to use treated and recycled water to cool the greenhouse and irrigate the landscaping areas.

Learn more about SDG initiatives

To learn more about the 17 Sustainability Development Goals visit the official united nation SDG site.

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