300 children graduate from Al-Oula’s 21st century skills programs

Al-Oula, a non-profit organization, in coordination with the Jeddah Volunteer Club, held a graduation ceremony for 300 children who participated in Al-Oula’s skills and sports programs. The ceremony coincided with the Children’s Day celebration at the Princess Fawzia Sports Center at Al-Oula’s headquarters in Jeddah.
Princess Shahida bint Mansour attended the event along with the members of Al-Oula’s board of directors.
Through the skills and sports programs, the children were able to develop 21st century skills such as self-learning and innovation. The programs are part of the association’s efforts to enable children to learn skills that are not yet adopted in many conventional schools. Twenty-first century skills comprise the knowledge and experience that a child must have in order to achieve professional and personal success in today’s work environment. These skills include basics such as reading, writing, and mathematics. The program also focuses on more developed skills such as media literacy, which is the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media, in addition to critical thinking skills such as creativity and problem solving. The program also teaches leadership skills such as flexibility, initiative, and self-development.
“Today, we celebrate the achievements of the children participating in the programs of the association over the past year, which are aimed at developing their scientific, technical and sports skills. It will help them to break the cycle of poverty ... and achieve self-realization,” said Dania Al-Maeena, CEO of Al-Oula.
She added: “The volunteers that are helping us are orphans, retirees, and those with disabilities, which proves to society that everyone is capable of serving the community and nation. We thank the President of Jeddah Volunteer Club, Khalid Badawi, for his contribution.”
The event included performances by the Saudi Comedy Light Entertainment Group; Desert Knights, a creative group of young people with disabilities; and Hajjer, a gifted young girl.
Dr. Saadia Radwan held a discussion with the children to raise awareness and prevent harassment. The ceremony also included cultural competitions presented by Mamma Fatima Murad in collaboration with journalist Ahmad Al-Sayad and the Rawafid Group, and educational talks presented by consultants Afaf Makdoum and Khaled Al-Dabbagh.