Kafaat, a program created to empower girls by teaching them new skills and preparing them to enter the job market, has been launched by the Majid bin Abdel Aziz Society for Community Development.

The first course of the program will be conducted in cooperation with the Nafisa Shams Academy for Arts and Crafts.

According to the cooperation agreement, the first batch of the program will see 300 girls take part in specialized training courses, designed to provide them with skills and knowledge needed to close existing gaps and meet the requirements of the job market.

The training course will include practical and administrative skills that will enable them to start their own businesses, or obtain employment. The agreement is the result of previous successful collaborations between Majid’s Society and Nafisa Shams Academy, the most recent being the training of 270 girls in 2013. Speaking about the new Kafaat program, Hammam Zare, general manager of the Majid bin Abdel Aziz Society for Community Development, said the program aims to achieve community development from a social perspective by understanding the needs of the community and how it relates to the job market’s requirements.

“The collaboration between all segments of society will bring about the positive change needed,” he said.

Zare applauded the collaboration with Nafisa Shams Academy for Arts and Crafts, saying that graduates of the academy were trained with the same standards and best practices, and contributed to developmental and social projects.

He added the collaboration between Majid’s Society and the academy formed part of the Society’s goal to enter into strategic agreements and constructive partnerships with local and foreign bodies to create integrated and effective solutions to foster practical development.

Jawaher Al-Zahrani, general manager of the Nafisa Shams Academy, praised the role of the Majid’s Society for serving the community in various fields, including training opportunities, loan facilitation loans, as well as in establishing awareness and cultural initiatives.