JEDDAH, 8 June 2005 — Makkah Governor Prince Abdul Majeed yesterday visited the businesswomen’s center at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry and offered his complete support to facilitate the center’s activities.
The center, named after Khadeeja bint Khuwailed, one of the wives of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), provides assistance to more than 5,000 businesswomen in the city.
“We wish the center every success in accomplishing its plans and programs within the framework of our customs and traditions and without violating the teachings of our Islamic religion,” the governor said. Prince Abdul Majeed commended the center’s efforts in training women to take a variety of jobs in the business sector. Earlier, the governor, accompanied by Dr. Ghassan Al-Sulaiman, chairman of JCCI, and Muhammad Abdul Qader Al-Fadel, chairman of the center, toured the facility.
Dr. Nadia Baashen, director general of the center, briefed the prince on its activities and achievements.
“This is the first full-fledged modern information center for businesswomen in the Kingdom,” said Sulaiman.
Al-Fadel said the center extended its services in three main areas: training and developing the skills of current and future businesswomen; supporting woman’s business establishments with finance and information and reducing bureaucratic procedures; and helping businesswomen run their businesses from home. Both Al-Sulaiman and Al-Fadel expressed their thanks and appreciation to Prince Abdul Majeed for helping businesswomen and removing obstacles which opened new job opportunities and created a healthy working environment.
Al-Fadel said that the center had provided economic consultation to 457 women’s businesses, including 275 working from home. The National Commercial Bank has sponsored the center’s program for women working from their homes as well as the prize for the best business project of university girl students. The center awarded the Khadeeja bint Khuwailed prize for the best productive work from home in order to encourage women working from home, Al-Fadel said, adding that it would create more jobs for female graduates.
Mohammed Al-Sharif, secretary-general of JCCI, said the center had received 1,230 job applications and found jobs for 400 women. “We have transferred 460 women to the national project for training and employment in the Makkah region,” he added.
