Madar (Nouakchott) - The village of Dali Kamba in Hodh Chargui region hosted a collective wedding ceremony for 40 visually impaired brides and grooms, as part of a humanitarian and social initiative sponsored by the Emirates Red Crescent that aims to help them start families and strengthen their integration into society.
The secretary general of the Ministry of Social Action, Childhood and Family, Hamoudi Ould Cheikhna Ould Aly, said the initiative was the result of cooperation between the ministry and the UAE embassy in Mauritania, and embodied the values of solidarity and social support by helping vulnerable and low-income families.
He added that the step carried a message that visual impairment does not diminish a person's worth or deprive them of the right to take part in social life and start a family, stressing the need to empower people with disabilities, strengthen their independence and guarantee them equal opportunities.
He said the initiative was in line with the social priorities of the President's programme, "Ambitions for the Nation", and reflected the strength of the fraternal and cooperative ties between Mauritania and the United Arab Emirates.
For his part, the deputy secretary general of the Emirates Red Crescent, Omair Mohamed Al Muhairi, said he was happy to share the joy of Mauritanians on the occasion, stressing that support for marriage projects enjoys the attention of the UAE leadership, given its role in strengthening community partnership and helping young people build stable families.
The UAE ambassador to Mauritania, Hamad Ghanem Al Muhairi, said the ceremony, organised under the sponsorship of the Emirates Red Crescent, was an occasion to celebrate visually impaired people and strengthen their presence and participation in social life.
He added that sponsoring the initiative conveyed a humanitarian message centred on standing by people and preserving their dignity, and reflected the depth of Mauritanian-Emirati cooperation, praising the cooperation of Mauritanian bodies with the Emirates Red Crescent and Emirati humanitarian institutions.
The ambassador congratulated the beneficiaries, urging them to build their married life on affection, respect and cooperation, to share responsibilities, and for each to support the other at every stage of life.
