JEDDAH: Have you ever been excited about starting a project but did not know how to carry out a feasibility study?

Kate Rudd, the British consul general, awarded 60 young Saudi entrepreneurs yesterday certificates for completing the 15-week young entrepreneurs training program.

“From what I’ve heard and seen, I believe this is a great foundation for you to build on your careers,” said Rudd, “now it’s all up to you ladies to grab opportunities and make them grow.”

The International Muslim Organization for Women and Family (IMOWF) in Jeddah gave young women the chance to learn how to start small to medium-sized enterprises (SME).

The program, held in cooperation with the British Consulate’s Strategic Program Fund, was designed to train them on how to create a solid starting point to establish small businesses.

Mona Essa, senior project manager at the British Consulate, liaised with IMOWF on behalf of the consulate. She said there would be more collaboration with international organizations to “create awareness, interest and provoke action among the younger generation.”

“We learned how to plan a business from start to finish,” said participant Morouj Boshnag, a 20-year-old media student at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah.

Boshnag proposed starting a public relations and media company at a time when “there is a great need for media companies in the Saudi market.” She said that PR and media companies make up only five percent of the Saudi market “when in the US they make up 55 percent.”

We’am Afifi, 20, proposed the setting up of Paradise for Baby Care — a SR320,000 day-care center offering children fun learning. “People usually say children’s heaven is home,” said Afifi. “I want my day care to be their paradise instead.”

Taimiah Al-Hamadani, a 22-year-old general management student at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, also proposed a day-care project for children under two. Her goal is to bond youngsters with books. She added that she has benefited from the Young Entrepreneurs Program and plans to pursue her project once she graduates.

“I now know so much about myself and what I enjoy doing,” said Al-Hamadani. “It’s very important to recognize one’s talents to excel.”

Shaima Gassam, 19, shares Al-Hamadani’s vision. She also believes that young children are receptive to knowledge and proposed the building of a SR30,000 cultural club for children.

“I want children to learn how to stimulate their minds. I also want them to adopt skills and be part of teams,” said Gassam.

Bahija Ezzi, the general secretary of IMOWF, said training young entrepreneurs on basic business skills and SME would help reduce unemployment. “It would also support the creation of new jobs and enterprises that would result in capacity building and economic reform,” she said.

IMOWF is a nonprofit organization established to raise awareness among women on the importance of empowerment, and how to become active members in society by enhancing their skills to start their own small businesses.