Dubai’s Mawaheb Elders Club Creates a Welcoming Community for Seniors

Dubai’s Mawaheb Elders Club is creating a friendly and welcoming environment where seniors can stay active, meet new people and feel more connected to the wider community.

Based at Mawaheb Cafe in Al Quoz, the Elders Club brings older residents together through a variety of activities, ranging from chess and quizzes to exercise sessions, arts and crafts and social gatherings.

Mawaheb Elders Club Encourages Seniors to Stay Active

The club provides seniors with an opportunity to spend time together, enjoy lunch, take part in games and quizzes, exercise and socialise before heading home at around 3pm on regular Wednesdays.

Rather than focusing only on physical fitness, the programme offers a balanced selection of activities designed to keep members engaged without leaving them feeling exhausted.

Wide Range of Activities for Older Residents

Members can choose from activities such as chess, bingo, arts and crafts, quizzes and other games.

The club also organises outings, including visits to museums, giving seniors opportunities to explore and learn outside the cafe.

The mix of energetic and quieter activities allows members to remain physically and mentally engaged while enjoying time with others.

Club Helps Seniors Build New Friendships

For many members, the Elders Club has become an important place to meet new people and develop friendships in Dubai.

Norma Malouf, who moved to Dubai after being evacuated from Sudan, said she previously knew only a small number of people in the city.

Joining the group helped her build new friendships, including with Sameena Butt.

Butt joined the club after being encouraged by her son and now attends twice a week.

She says the experience has helped her meet people and feel less lonely.

Francina Mampuru, 70, from South Africa, was also attracted to the club because of the opportunity to spend time with people around her age.

A Strong Sense of Community

The friendships formed at the centre have become an important part of members’ weekly routines.

Staff members say participants often notice when someone is absent and may ask about them or invite them to sit down for a meal together.

The club therefore offers more than scheduled activities. It provides seniors with a sense of belonging and a regular social connection.

Move, Think and Belong

The Elders Club follows three simple principles: move, think and belong.

Exercise sessions encourage members to stay physically active, while quizzes, games and other activities give them opportunities to challenge their minds.

The programme also encourages seniors to continue learning and developing new skills.

This approach challenges the idea that retirement should mean becoming less involved in social and community activities.

Volunteers Learn From Seniors Too

The community spirit extends beyond the club’s members.

Volunteers also participate in activities and spend time getting to know the seniors.

Volunteer Rawad Abou Assaleh said interacting with members gave her an opportunity to learn from their life experiences.

It also encouraged her to appreciate everyday moments and reflect on the things that are often taken for granted.

More Than Just a Weekly Gathering

Since Mawaheb took over the Elders Club in May 2026, following a two-month trial period after an invitation from Elderly Square, the programme has focused on encouraging older people to remain independent and actively involved in their local community.

For many seniors, the club has now become much more than a place to spend a few hours each week.

It has developed into a regular space where members can exercise, learn, socialise and maintain meaningful friendships.

As each session comes to an end, members leave the cafe after spending time together over games, meals and conversations.

The friendships and sense of belonging created during those hours give many of them another reason to return.