Shein, a global online retailer of fashion, beauty and lifestyle products, hosted its first-ever community fair in Riyadh to foster greater inclusivity for children facing autism spectrum disorder. The free-to-attend event welcomed 30 children along with their parents and caregivers from the Charitable Society of Autism Families, Mother of Faisal Autism Center and Maharat Learning Center.
The initiative was hosted as part of Shein’s ongoing CSR program to empower and raise awareness for children with autism, under the umbrella of “Powered by Love.”
The fun-filled afternoon included family-friendly activities across fashion, arts, sports and photography, with an aim to increase awareness of the challenges faced by children with autism, highlight the need for their social empowerment, and further build their self-confidence.
Activities were specially designed to nurture positive social skills, while enabling kids to enhance their motor, speech, and communication skills. During the event, children had the chance to unleash their creativity at the Fashion Corner, styling clothing through teamwork, and the Art Corner, expressing their talent through T-shirt painting. Kids also enjoyed playing in active games and simple sports activities to further build their communication skills. To end the experience, guests were able to be the star of the show at the creative photo booth, where a photographer was on hand to guide children on how to take pictures.
The event was also attended by special guest Al-Johara Al-Hoqail, a leading social media influencer who is known for her charitable work and volunteering, following her generous donation earlier this year — she donated a part of her liver that saved a little girl’s life from a life-threatening disease in the Kingdom.
“In life, our purpose is to help people — I want to study medicine to save lives, I want my business to help the underprivileged and I want to be able to make societal changes. We should always stand together, which is what Shein strives to do through their CSR efforts, and I am proud to support them in their ‘Powered by Love’ campaign,” said Al-Hoqail.
As part of the “Powered by Love” program, Shein donated $40,000 to Maharat Learning Center to support education for children with autism, including equipment for four classrooms in the Kingdom and two in the UAE. In addition, Shein is set to donate additional funds to the Charitable Society of Autism Families, which will include the provision of educational sessions for up to 20 children, by the end of this year.
