2 years ago, an Egyptian architect and photographer living in Dubai decided to start his own fitness community. He started to engage his network to come out and carry out various sporting activities with him, with each week that passed his network reached out to their own personal network and the group began expanding. He actively promoted fitness to his community while asking them to support various causes around the world and has now almost 2000 members in his community. Active members of his group, called ‘Dubai Daily Fitness’, are also encouraged to lead various fitness activities and also take part in expeditions that would support social issues around the world. 2 years later, and 2000 members strong, Dubai Daily Fitness has proudly supported initiatives in over 10 different countries and created a large community of happy fitness enthusiasts in Dubai. His community has welcomed many newbies to Dubai and helped them feel at home by integrating them into their free community events and exploring the GCC together.
A local hero, Ahmad ElDessouki is admired for his activism and his commitment to strengthening his fitness group, on top of working full time in Dubai. Ahmad was featured on our AJALA project earlier this year and we were ecstatic to find out he wanted us to be a part of his group’s 2 year anniversary. This event took place on 11.11.16 at the amazing Warehouse Four. We had local fitness gurus teach various classes every hour from 8am to 6pm. Classes included Zumba, Contact Improv, Yoga, AcroYoga, Cardiofit, and Meditation by Taijitu House of Om. (If you haven’t heard of Taijitu House of Om before, its an open community center with a meditation room, Praying Altar, library, business centre, 2 activity rooms, outside lounge, fireplace, inside and outside kitchens, BBQ setups, swimming pool, fountain, water wheel, tree house, maid room, 5 bedrooms, recreational room and a guest room. – A must visit for any Dubai resident).
Upstairs, we at the AJALA Project engaged our local artists to come and provide free workshops for the DDF ( Dubai Daily Fitness) community. We also had amazing artists come and and paint live for the crowds. Such a beautiful intimate event and we were really honoured to be a part of it. The AJALA Project even got an unexpected award from the community for our dedication and commitment to social impact :).
Here are some pictures of our event:
Ahmad Eldessouki!
Acro Yoga Session
Honouring the Awardees
Honouring the Awardees
Live Calligraffiti by Hicham El Yagoubi
DDF’s most active warriors
Our team!
Workshopping
Artist at work
..and it begins
Zambian Artist Victor Sitali created a piece based on our changemakers at the AJALA project
Live Artists Victor and Hicham
Yafa Goawily’s amazing mixed media workshop
Bebo visits the art workshops
With the amazing artist, Ria
Final painting from the mixed-media workshop
We also got the community kids to make cards for the Usmile Ismile initiative to hand out at orphanages in Kenya
Some of the paintings created inspired by the AJALA Project Changemakers
Gong Meditation was amazing!
Hicham writing out some of the greeting cards
Greeting Cards written by our volunteers to be given to children at orphanages by UsmileIsmile
Our Award!
The AJALA Project brings together a global community of Artists and Writers to showcase Changemakers and Inspiring Nomads creating a social impact around the world.
If you are an Artist and would like to work with us, email us at narmeen@theajalaproject.com.
If you are a changemaker or know a changemaker ( somebody creating a social impact for marginal communities or raising awareness for global issues), please send in this application form Changemaker Application Form
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Next event coming up soon!
Narmeen Naser - Artist 