About Widad
Widad is a one-of-a-kind place where education, creativity, inclusion, and environmental responsibility come together.
Centrally located in the heart of Dubai, Widad offers talented children a comprehensive learning environment designed to challenge and support children by strengthening their cognitive, emotional, creative and intentional abilities. We believe that children develop best when exposed to all the enriching elements of life.
Widad is also a community of students, parents, educators, and professionals committed to the principles of environmental responsibility, social inclusion, and better education all working towards shaping the future of schooling. Widad provides a range of educational, behavioural, and skill development programs inspired by a blend of the latest research and pedagogical methodologies.
The name Widad (وداد) in Arabic means love and harmony, which sits at the heart of everything we do. Widad is your child’s “Home Away From Home” with programs as diverse as wood work, social responsibility, yoga and meditation, sport, and (of course) academia. In 2019, Widad was recognized for its success with a TimeOut Kids award. Widad has also been featured in WhichSchoolAdvisor.
Meet our Governing Board
Larry Sullivan
Board Member
Larry is founder and chair of COINS Foundation, the social enterprise arm of COINS Global, a global software house. He is a regular speaker at leading business schools including Harvard, Warwick, Hult, Monash, and LBS and more discussing “Entrepreneurship as a force for good and social improvement.” He sits on the board of Habitat for Humanity.
Jo Franklin
Board Member
Jo is the Group Commercial Director for COINS globally, providing leadership for the community focus, supporting and developing many community projects, most significantly the COINS Challenge Events. She played a key role in establishing COINS Foundation. Jo sits on the board of Stepping Stones & Undershaw School and is a former trustee of The CSB Self Help & Hemiplegia Organisation.
Anders Ostergaard
Board Member
Anders serves as CEO for the Monjasa Group which is involved in a wide range of industries, hereunder Shipping, IT, and Offshore Logistics. He also holds a number of board positions, and has experience within the educational- and creative space as well, from both Denmark and the UAE.
Meet Our Management Team
Emma Fell
Executive Director
Emma is an active leader of Widad Center and is passionate about developing inclusive services, through both her personal experience caring for children with special needs, and through years of experience and building relationships within her roles with the Widad family.
Emma began her involvement with Widad in August 2014 and is now the Center Director. She is a passionate advocate for the whole Widad family.
Divya Rajan
Medical Director and Occupational Therapist
Divya has worked in paediatric settings in various countries since her graduation in 2004. Divya is particularly interested in Sensory Processing Disorder and has completed three modules of the Sensory Integration training through University of Southern California, USA. She is also a certified Listening Program practitioner and an Ergonomic practitioner.
Divya enjoys collaborating with parents, teachers and other professionals to ensure the best outcome for the children.
Zoe Anderson
Lead Teacher
Zoe studied Education in the UK and has worked as a teacher for over seven years in a wide range of settings. She has worked at Widad for two years and has experience working with a variety of students of different ages and diagnosis.
Zoe specialises in curriculum modification and assessment. She is passionate about equity in education and raising educational standards for children in Dubai with special needs.
Lucia Jauregui
Lead Teacher
Lucia graduated in Primary Education in Spain, and then relocated soon after to Dubai. She has had experience within both mainstream and inclusive school settings and has also turned “special education” into her lifestyle. She believes that education should revolve around inclusion, integration, and education for all.
Lucia believes in supporting the Widad family through listening, encouraging, and observing in order to help in any way that she can.
Meet Our Supporters
Widad is supported by a number of generous partners that have enabled us to create the place and the programs that serve the children.
COINS Foundation is the not-for-profit organisation of the COINS group, using enterprise to create a better and more sustainable future. COINS Foundation is committed to supporting social enterprises and businesses with a social mission and believe that economic and social value should be intertwined.
The Monjasa Group is a global partner in the Oil- and Shipping industry. Its core business includes trading and supplying marine fuels and ship-owning activities globally. With 10 global office locations, Monjasa is present in all major time zones. The Monjasa Group is certified according to ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018 and ISO 50001:2018. On land and at sea, the Monjasa Group employs 500+ amazing colleagues.
