Sustainability, inclusivity, accessibility celebrated at Garangao event

Popular community outreach initiative #bigbmeetup celebrated Garangao – championing sustainability, inclusivity and accessibility - at Qatar Foundation’s Hadeeqa micro-farm with over 50 differently-abled children and their families from over 16 nationalities residing in Qatar.
Children from 2-14 years had the choice of participating in three different upcycling/recycling art workshop conducted by artists Batool Jafar, Fatima Mohammed and Guzel Abdrakmanova.
Founder of #bigbmeetup, Bosco Menezes, opened the event with an introduction to the programme and celebrating five years of bringing communities together.
Hadeeqa founder Vicky Damalou spoke on the benefits of having a green thumb and the environment workshops that the micro farm runs for the community.
Differently-abled siblings Shirley and Ester El Sokhan gave a wonderful performance with their drum sets, enthralling the audience of over 100.
Aisha al-Amari (co-founder of Autism Parents Qatar) introduced the communities and shed light on the activities and accomplishments of their organisation that promotes awareness within the autistic and neurodiverse communities of Qatar and beyond.
La Terre luxury fashion, a Qatari sustainable fashion brand, distributed a potted flower plant to each child and his/her family with the aim and message of “Let’s nurture nature together”.
Local radio channel QBS Radio ran a Garangao competition and distributed goodie bags to all children upholding the essence of the holy month of Ramadan and Garangao.
As a cultural exchange exercise, Qatari mothers reminisced and narrated their personal Garangao stories and introduced the cultural part of Ramadan to the diverse audience. Artist Batool brought authentic local cuisine to share with the participants, in keeping with the spirit of Ramadan.
Qatari children in different groups sang famous and popular Garangao songs with expatriate children joining in.
Popular young Qatari green ambassador, Noora al-Nabet, a student of Qatar Academy and advocate for a greener future in Qatar, also a member of Agency for Change - the environment advocacy organisation of Qatar Academy - spoke to the audience on the importance of reducing waste and removing single-use plastic from our lifestyle.
Volunteers from A Flower Each Spring, Qatar’s first pro-environment non-profit founded by Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, supported the event.
A similar inclusive event is planned during Eid. More information is available from Bosco Menezes on 55340297.