Under the theme of “Sohbati” 2017, the Health Promotion Department at Sharjah’s Supreme Council of Family Affairs, has recently wrapped up its activities held over three days in collaboration with Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah. Dedicated to young ladies aged 14 – 18, the activities focused on the health issues that may arise at different stages of their lives. 
This year, Sohbati sought to teach young ladies debate and the skills of dialogue and assertion, which can be channeled into having constructive discussions with friends and peers with the aim of spreading good health practices and contributing to the fight against health challenges and issues pertaining to general safety and well-being. More importantly, the program intended to build the psychological health education concepts that will enable young ladies to adopt healthy habits and choices in preparing or selecting their meals.

Expressing her thanks and appreciation to the Health Education Department for the efforts put into organizing the program, Sheikha Aisha Khalid Al Qasimi to Director of Sajaya Young Ladies of Sharjah said: “Spreading health education and awareness among our young ladies has become a priority in today’s world, which is what Sohbati has achieved. The program’s positive effect can now be clearly felt through the girls’ daily behavior and health habits. Of course, we hope to see the program making more impact when our young ladies put all the health concepts they learned from Sohbati into practice in their day to day lives.”
Eman Rashid Saif, Director of Health Education Department at the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah, stated that Sohbati specifically targeted the young ladies social segment being the cornerstone for building the society. Thus, the program was a unique opportunity to enhance their communication and self-training skills, provide them with the adequate tools to spread the culture of good health and encourage them to be role models for their peers at home, school and the society at large.
“Studies show that the age group targeted by Sohbati 2017 is among the most vulnerable to health risks, which underlines the importance of raising the awareness of this social segment at an early stage with the aim of raising an educated generation that fully understands the health risks faced by our society,” added Saif.
Sohbati includes a wide range of training and awareness sessions and seminars in general health, dailyskills, technology and other topics, accompanied by practical exercises. The girls who participated in Sohbati 2017 will be recognized in a special ceremony to be held next March.