Designing culturally rooted MS support resources and a nationwide youth awareness program to strengthen awareness and inclusive practice across the UAE.
The Concept
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society collaborated with Bon Education on two initiatives united by a shared mission: improving the quality of life for people living with MS and other similar conditions.
The first focused on developing culturally relevant digital support resources tailored to the needs of the community. The second centered on designing a program that instills the principles of universal design among the UAE’s next generation of professionals, helping to improve accessibility and quality of life for people living with MS and similar conditions.
Industry
Health & Wellness / Higher Education / Social Impact
Goal
Equip the MS community in the UAE with culturally sensitive, bilingual digital resources while engaging university students in learning about inclusion and universal design.
Services
Content Design & Development, Bilingual Resource Creation, Program Design, Curriculum Development, University Partnerships, Workshop Facilitation, Competition Design & Management
Impact
5 bilingual digital guides developed for the UAE MS community; 500+ students and 70+ faculty trained; 14 university campus partners engaged across the Emirates in the first two cycles of the program.
The Opportunity
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society UAE identified two urgent opportunities. First, there was a need for support resources that more closely reflected the cultural and social realities of people with MS and similar conditions in the region. While international materials exist, many do not fully address the specific emotional, familial, and social dimensions of receiving and managing an MS diagnosis in an Arab and multicultural context.
Second, there was a clear opportunity to expand awareness beyond the MS community itself by engaging university students and encouraging the integration of universal design principles among the UAE’s next generation of professionals.
Our approach
Project 1: MS Digital Guides
Bon Education designed and developed a series of five bilingual (English and Arabic) digital support guides for the UAE MS community. Rather than adapting existing international resources, each guide was built from the ground up to reflect Emirati and broader UAE cultural values, family structures, and lived experiences.
The five guides address the moments and relationships that matter most:
Guide 1: Talking About Your Diagnosis: Conversation Guide
Guide 2: Nutrition Guide for MS and Autoimmune Conditions
Guide 3: Empowering Carers Guide
Guide 4: Explaining MS to Children Guide
Guide 5: Mental Wellness Handbook & Reflection Journal
All five guides were developed bilingually to ensure accessibility across the UAE's diverse community of citizens and residents.
Project 2: Universal Design for Inclusion Program (UDIP)
Bon Education designed the NMSS Universal Design for Inclusion Program – a multi-stage national university initiative structured to move students from broad awareness through to designing solutions using assistive technology for people living with MS and other similar conditions, addressing communication, mobility, and cognitive needs.
The program operates as a three-stage funnel, designed to maximize both reach and depth:
Stage 1 (Learning & Awareness)
Mass engagement across UAE universities through in-person empathy workshops that build student awareness of what it is like to live with MS and other similar conditions.
Stage 2 (Projects & Competition)
Students are supported to develop impactful inclusion and universal design projects through a structured annual competition that includes virtual learning sessions and engagement with industry experts and people living with MS.
Stage 3 (Prizes & Recognition)
The highest-performing students from Stage 2 are awarded with prizes and public recognition.
The Results
5 Bilingual Digital Guides Developed and Distributed to the UAE MS community – the first culturally rooted Arabic-English MS support resources of their kind in the country.
500+ Students Trained during years one and two of the program.
14 University Campuses Engaged during cycles one and two of the program.
A Scalable National Model via an annually renewable program with clear pathways from awareness to action, positioning NMSS as a leader in inclusion education within the UAE university ecosystem.
More
Projects
Empowering Youth to Explore Critical Industries for the Future
Collaborating with regional governments and leading organizations to ensure a steady pipeline of talent for priority industries in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Bridging the Gap Between University and Employment
Supporting graduates in securing employment through workforce readiness training, career coaching, and industry experience projects.
Creating a Pipeline of Design Talent for the Region
Architecting the GCC’s largest high school design education program with the Dubai Institute of Design and Innovation.
Delivering a World-Class Graduate Program
Designing and delivering a world-class decade-long program that transforms top global graduates into leaders and lifelong ambassadors for Dubai.
