Ray of sunshine

Emily Ray's visionary project Smile with Sam brings together animals and photography, offering a transformative experience for children with disabilities and their families

- Zenifer Khaleel

In a quiet park just outside Dubai’s urban sprawl, laughter echoes as people of determination (POD) cuddle playful Golden Retrievers, pose for photos, and lose themselves in moments of pure joy. Parents look on, their faces a mixture of relief and delight. This isn’t just another family outing — it’s part of Emily first time. “It’s amazing to witness moments like John (who has cerebral palsy) touching a horse for the first time or other children playing with a dog with reckless abandon. These experiences help build confidence and create lasting memories.”

The results of Smile with Sam have been nothing short of magical. Kieran, a young adult with Down Syndrome, radiated happiness during a recent session. “It made me feel chilled,” he said, grinning from ear to ear. Parents echo these sentiments, often moved to tears by the positive impact on their children. “It’s a gift to see my kids laugh and connect like this,” shared Zahra, a mother of two children with special needs.

Reaching for the stars

Even the volunteers have found the project deeply rewarding. Amnah Yusuf, a woman on the autism spectrum, who brought her Golden Retriever, Lucy, to the event said, “There’s something extraordinary about the unconditional love dogs offer. It’s uplifting to see how much happiness they bring to the children — and to all of us.”

This winter, Emily plans to expand the initiative, drawing on her creativity to dream up new ideas. One exciting prospect is a Star Wars-themed photo shoot in the desert, involving families from POD. A previous Star Wars shoot featured only Sam, but Emily hopes to make the next one a group experience filled with joy and adventure.