The exhibition — called Mercato — was inaugurated by Mohammad Al-Amri, executive director of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), and Hani Abu Ras, general secretary of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI). All the items on show at the event relate to women and include small gifts, manufactured locally and those imported. Mercato — an Italian word meaning market — is considered a golden opportunity for young Saudi businesswomen to present their lines. “This is the first exhibition of its kind in the Kingdom that makes it easy for Saudi women starting out in business to display their products,” said Haifa Naji, the exhibition’s organizer.
“Our aim is to support and encourage businesswomen, especially those who are just starting out. We started with eight businesswomen who are skilled in sewing, designing and making handmade products. Later on, those women became very popular and we began receiving requests to sell these products in malls,” said Naji.
According to Naji, the exhibition will move on — with the support of the JCCI and the SCTA — to other malls during the summer vacation. Abu-Ras described the exhibition as an important and useful event in developing the Kingdom’s industries and tackling unemployment. “The JCCI supports projects such as these which help reduce unemployment. We are ready to support innovative people and entrepreneurs through the Council of Jeddah for Business Development. We seek to assist young business owners and entrepreneurs in transforming their ideas into realistic projects that would help develop society,” he added.
According to statistics from the JCCI, more than 80 percent of its staff own small and medium businesses. “Our strategy is to provide help and facilities to entrepreneurs and job seekers, and launch new projects that would benefit society,” said Abu-Ras.
Al-Amri stressed the importance of the project to domestic tourism and society on the whole. “Tourists and Umrah pilgrims will notice the great effort that the Kingdom is making to support women,” he added.
University graduate Fatimah Bakolka was unable to find a job. So she opted to create small trinkets, which she began to sell in summer festivals. “I have taken part in several bazaars and exhibitions both in the summer and the winter. We pay small amounts of money to rent places and show our products. At the end of a festival like this, I earn roughly around SR8,000,” she said.
Wafa’a Mubarak, another Saudi graduate, considers bazaars and festivals good opportunities to showcase her crafts, which she makes at home. “Waiting for a job is not easy, even for a short period. I hope to work on my talents, which I believe will make a success in the business world.”
