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Sharjah 24
a day ago
- Business
- Sharjah 24
SEWA implements ambitious water network projects in Kalba
Among these, a water pipeline extension from Kalba to Wadi Al Helo has been completed at a cost of AED 47 million, with 98% of the project completed. Furthermore, the pipeline extension for the Jabal Deem project has been completed in 59% of its entirety, and 50% of the Transco line extension to the desalination facility has been completed. The primary pipelines, which span 2,184 meters, have been installed in various regions of Kalba. SEWA also approved 104 water project plans, issued 93 land clearance certificates, connected water services to 119 residential, governmental, industrial, commercial, and temporary properties, replaced 168 meters of old main lines, tested 133 smart meters, replaced 66 meters, and issued two well drilling permits. Significant Completed Works Engineer Yousef Al Hammadi, Director of SEWA's Kalba Department, explained that several key projects have been completed in recent months. These include extending a pipeline from the industrial area to Al Ghayl station at a cost of AED 5 million, replacing a main line in Tareef 4 for AED 1.6 million, and extending a water line to the new industrial area (Phase One) at a cost of AED 4 million. Water connections were also provided to various government and development projects. Furthermore, the Union Water and Electricity pipeline was integrated into SEWA's network in the Tareef area to be used in emergencies. Future Expansion Plans Al Hammadi added that future plans for Kalba's water projects include constructing a 20-million-gallon reservoir to meet the city's growing water needs, replacing old AC lines with GRE lines in Al Khuwair (Phase Two), and extending pipelines for new development projects announced by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, such as Al Hayar Lake and Jabal Deem's main station. Other plans include a new main line extension from the industrial area to Al Ghayl and the second phase of the water line extension to the new industrial area. 2024 Project Achievements He further noted that in 2024, SEWA accomplished numerous water distribution projects, including laying 6,897 meters of main pipelines across Kalba, approving 263 water project plans, issuing 352 land clearance certificates, connecting water services to 718 residential, governmental, industrial, commercial, and temporary properties, replacing 755 meters of old main lines, testing 351 smart meters, replacing 62 meters, and issuing four well drilling permits.
Al Etihad
16-04-2025
- Health
- Al Etihad
ECA highlights children's responsible technology use during Digital Wellbeing Symposium
16 Apr 2025 17:25 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Organised by the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) and hosted by New York University Abu Dhabi (NYU Abu Dhabi), leading experts from the technology sector, including representatives from the organisations that are members of the UAE Children's Digital Wellbeing Pact, gathered in Abu Dhabi to highlight the importance of responsible technology use in early childhood – as part of the Digital Wellbeing Symposium. The event took place as a satellite event of the Abu Dhabi Global Health Week, organised by the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi (DoH).The Digital Wellbeing Symposium highlighted the needs and experiences of young children from ages zero to eight in conversations about how digital technologies affect the health, development, and everyday life of young children. Experts furhter discussed key issues around young children's digital Wellbeing and provided insights for the development of guidelines and frameworks around digital media, AI and technology, and the creation of high-quality digital content that prioritises young children's learning and Symposium featured sessions from prominent voices in digital Wellbeing, including Dr. Yousef Al Hammadi, Executive Director of Knowledge and Impact at the ECA, Jawaher Abdelhamid, Head of Public Policy, MEA at SNAP, leading member of the UAE Children's Digital Wellbeing Pact; Professor Susan Danby, Distinguished Professor at Queensland University of Technology; Dr Michael Preston, Senior Vice President at the Sesame Workshop and Professor Jan Plass, Paulette Goddard Chair in Digital Media and Learning Sciences at New York UAE Children's Digital Wellbeing Pact was signed earlier this year at the World Government Summit. It is the first of its kind in the region and brings together different governmental and private sector entities, including the ECA, in support of protecting children online by promoting a safe and appropriate online environment, minimising exposure of children to harmful content and protecting children from on the importance of responsible use of technology in early childhood, Dr. Yousef Al Hammadi said: "At the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, we want to help parents feel more comfortable with their children engaging with digital media. We know that technology plays a big role in young children's lives and in their development. As such, we are proud to see parents in Abu Dhabi embracing technology as a valuable tool to support their child's growth and their efforts to create healthy boundaries around technology use at homes." He addedm "As technology keeps evolving, we hope to keep working with parents to put children's digital wellbeing first, ensuring their everyday life continues to have a well-balanced approach between digital activities and traditional ones."Jawaher Abdelhamid, Head of Public Policy, MEA at SNAP, a leading member of the Children's Digital Wellbeing Pact, said: "Our goal is to ensure that digital media serves as a positive force in children's lives, supporting their learning and development while safeguarding their Wellbeing."The Symposium unveiled the findings of the Digital Use Survey, a first-of-its-kind survey of 10,000 parents in Abu Dhabi emirate, conducted by NYU Abu Dhabi and funded by the ECA, exploring digital media use among Emirati and Expat children up to eight years old, with key findings including; parents are intentional about digital content choices, and that parents generally see digital media as a positive part of modern childhood, with 70 per cent satisfied with the amount of time their young child spends on digital media, parents were found to spend twice as much time engaging with their child in traditional (non-digital) activities as they did in digital ones, parents emphasised the role of digital media in supporting their child's learning, social development, and exploration, with half of the parents (55 per cent) viewing digital media as a valuable tool for supporting their child's learning, and early learning activities and Arabic language videos ranking the highest by parents in their digital content survey represents the first comprehensive analysis of digital media use among children aged 0 to 8. It focuses specifically on the often-overlooked needs of children aged 0 to 8 in digital wellbeing discussions, ensuring their experiences help shape research and on the survey, Antje von Suchodeltz, Associate Professor of Psychology and Global Network Associate Professor of Psychology at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education and Human Development, NYU Abu Dhabi said: "This survey provides valuable insights into how parents are navigating their young children's digital media experiences. Research shows that when parents actively co-engage with their children during digital media use, through co-watching, co-playing, or other interactive experiences, these shared moments strengthen the parent-child relationship and contribute to the child's development across multiple domains. These findings provide a strong foundation for evidence-based policies that promote digital Wellbeing in early childhood.'The Digital Wellbeing Symposium further enhanced the work done by the ECA and its partners, which led to the signing of the recent Children's Digital Wellbeing Pact. Additionally, the symposium highlights the importance of investing in research ecosystems to improve children's Wellbeing. The Digital Wellbeing Symposium is also part of the ECA's World Early Childhood Development (WED) Movement, an initiative which brings together global experts, partners, and disruptors for innovation to advance Early Childhood Development in Abu Dhabi and beyond.
