Amal Al-Sibai

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Queen Rania of Jordan was the first to introduce programs organized by Junior Achievement Worldwide in the Arab world.



Junior Achievement Worldwide is an American academy that teaches young people about money management and how business works.



Its mission is to foster work-readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy skills and to help students reach their potential.



Now 15 Arab countries have become affiliated with Junior Achievement Worldwide.



In 2009, Injaz was established in Saudi Arabia to become a member of Junior Achievement Worldwide and adopt their educational programs.



Immense work was done by key players at Injaz to translate the materials into Arabic and slightly alter the curriculum to ensure that it adheres to Islamic principles.



Injaz creates a unique partnership between the private and government sectors, educators, and volunteers.



Injaz trains volunteer teachers from various schools and youth centers in the Kingdom, and it also provides the teachers with a full package of student and teacher workbooks and other useful materials free of charge.



The volunteer teachers are empowered with the knowledge, skills, and learning materials they need to then engage students in these creative programs.



Injaz helps young people appreciate the importance of working hard in school and it inspires students to develop competitive skills, confidence, and entrepreneurship. In essence, the younger generation’s success will bolster the local workforce and contribute to economic growth.



Students in the Kingdom may score well in basic academic skills such as math, reading, and writing but they are lacking in leadership and executive skills and personal qualities such as teamwork, planning, goal-setting, motivation, decision-making, punctuality, problem-solving, adaptability to change, self-discipline, and persistence.



Without such essential skills, unemployment rate among the Saudi population cannot be reduced.



“We are trying to bridge the gap between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labor by matching what students learn in school with what the job market is looking for.



“However, our goals go beyond simply making students ready for jobs. We pave the way for students to become entrepreneurs and business leaders who will start businesses that not only succeed but also open up job spaces for more members of the society,” Nael Fayez, CEO of Injaz, said told Saudi Gazette.



“With 300,000 university graduates from the scholarship programs abroad soon to return home searching for jobs, neither the private nor the government sector will be able to accommodate them and find jobs for all. Entrepreneurship is the answer and in fact the only solution,” added Fayez.



Entrepreneurs are catalysts of change, providing creative and innovative ideas and helping businesses grow and become profitable.



Islam recognizes and encourages entrepreneurship among Muslims. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Nine out of ten sources of income are coming from business activities.”



According to Fayez, successful economies around the globe are based on tens, hundreds, and thousands of small and medium enterprises and that is what we are lacking here in the Kingdom.



“We have major and mega-corporations in the Kingdom such as petrochemicals, airlines, and communications companies. On the other extreme, we have thousands of very small, micro-entities that add no value to the community nor do they contribute in any remarkably positive way to the nation’s economy. Our cities are over-populated with small mini-markets, laundry shops, and one-man repair shops that require a man power of only two persons and a marginal annual financial turnover,” said Fayez.



“We need to come up with business enterprises that will add value to the society, provide employment opportunities, and boost the economy,” said Fayez.



That is why Injaz has broadened its scope and expanded its target for the educational and awareness courses and workshops that it offers.



This year, Injaz extended its reach to 19 cities in the Kingdom and offered courses to 62,000 male and female students.



A course on successful skills has even been written in braille and will be taught to children with visual impairment and similar courses have been adapted to be taught to children with special needs and children in orphanages.



Other courses will be taught at juvenile prisons, youth centers, summer camps, and other civic centers. An eight-week course, called Company Program, offered by Injaz received astounding positive feedback in Jeddah this summer.



The students learn how to start their own real company under the supervision of a proficient volunteer.



These young entrepreneurs gather information, issue stocks, and study the current economy and the current market needs.



After their research, they choose the product or service that they want to offer and advertise for it.



Toward the end, students liquidate the company, divide the profit on stockholders and create the financial and final report. Some truly ingenious ideas have emerged from these young entrepreneurs. One company led by a group of inventive young women developed a bag that could be used for visits to the beach, swimming pool, or gym which can carry personal needs and when opened up can also be used as a large towel.



At the conclusion of the eight-week Company Program, a ceremony called “Fikra” or “Idea” is held that allows groups of students to compete against each other, pitch their ideas, and receive feedback from well known businessmen and women.



The judges follow fixed criteria to evaluate the company and product that the students are pitching, which includes several categories for winners, such as best company, best product, best CEO, and others.

Winners will qualify to become candidates to compete on a regional level along with students from other Middle Eastern and North African regions.