Doha: The Center for Empowerment and Care of the Elderly (Ehsan) conducted the closing ceremony of the 8th season of the Ehsan Scientific Research Competition. The ceremony was held under the patronage of HE Minister of Social Development and Family Buthaina bint Ali Al Jabr Al Nuaimi, and in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MOEHE), the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation Council (QRDI), and AFAQ Group. During the ceremony, the top three winning students in the preparatory and secondary categories were honored by Acting CEO of the Qatar Foundation for Social Work Khalid bin Mohammed Al Kuwari, and Executive Director of Ehsan Manal Ahmed Al Mannai.
According to Qatar News Agency, in the preparatory stage, first place went to students from Salah Ad-Din Al-Ayyubi Preparatory School for Boys for their project on using artificial intelligence to protect parking spaces for the elderly. Second place went to students from Rawdat Rashid Primary, Preparatory and Secondary School for Girls for their research project on designing smart glasses that translate voices into Arabic speech to assist the hearing-impaired elderly. Third place went to students from Al Daayen Primary Independent School for Girls for their project on designing a SKA device to irrigate the hamstrings of the elderly while driving and traveling long distances.
At the secondary level, first place was awarded to students from Ibn Seena Secondary School for Boys for their project on a self-turning and moving bed equipped with biometric sensors for the elderly and patients with disabilities. Second place went to students from Al Ghuwairiya Secondary School for Girls for their research project on the effect of Pilates exercises on the elderly's self-motivation. Third place went to students from Al Shaima Secondary School for Girls for their project on using hologram technology to help the elderly adapt to their surrounding environment from the perspective of caregivers.
During the ceremony, cash awards were distributed to all students whose projects reached the final stage, in recognition of their efforts in presenting practical solutions and innovative ideas targeting the well-being of the elderly. The ceremony also honored the judging panel for their transparent scientific and professional evaluation, as well as the supporting entities that contributed to the competition's success, most notably the MOEHE, QRDI Council, and AFAQ Group.
Executive Director Al Mannai expressed pride in the competition's success, stating that the event embodies the belief in the role of youth in bringing about real change in society and reflects the center's ongoing commitment to empowering future generations to embrace research and innovation as a means of improving the quality of life for the elderly. The competition, aimed at middle and high school students, saw 40 participants submit 20 research papers focused on improving the lives of the elderly. Guided by a team of dedicated teachers, the students conducted purposeful research evaluated by eight impartial, accredited judges.
An accompanying exhibition preceded the closing ceremony, where the projects were showcased to visitors and interested parties, providing a platform to showcase and interact with the students' innovations before winners were officially announced.