By Samar Yahya
JEDDAH — Under an agreement signed between Al-Faisalya Women Welfare Society and a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden), 80 Saudi women in Mahd Al-Dahab governorate are receiving training in sewing, cooking, computer skills and beauty care.
The six-week training courses constitute the first phase of a comprehensive program to empower local women in the framework of the agreement, dubbed “Gold Hand”. It was signed in January between Princess Fahda Bint Saud, president of Al-Faisalya Women Welfare Society, and Yahya Bin Muhammad Al-Shangity, CEO Gold and Base Metals division of Maaden.
The program aims to support productive families under the supervision of a Al-Faisalya team, which will also train women from the region to achieve their career goals in cooperation with social development committee in Mahd Al-Dahab.
Al-Faisalya Director Fawziah Al-Tasan said based on their commitment, seriousness, participation and excellence, the first three trainees will be awarded SR3,000, SR2,000 and SR1,000 in cash prizes.
The “Gold Hand” is a leading initiative based on transferring knowledge and experience from main cities to remote regions in a professional manner and it is the beginning of more such initiatives aimed at women empowerment, Al-Tasan said, adding that the training will also prepare women to work from home.
During the first week of the program, the trainees expressed their happiness in joining the courses.
Asmaa Al-Mutairy said she benefited from computer courses and wished to join more courses.
Bashayer Al-Mutairy, who has chosen a cooking course, said she wanted to develop her cooking skills to become a professional chef.
Abeer Al-Dakheel is also pleased to study computer and expects the girls will get the utmost benefit from these courses.
Preparatory stages that took place prior to the initiative showed the Mahd Al-Dahab region holds promising future for women in the fields of cooking, sewing and embroidery, beauty care and cosmetics and computer skills.
Located in Madinah province, Mahd Al-Dahab (Cradle of Gold), is the leading gold mining center in the Arabian Peninsula.
