The “Home and Investment Expo,” inaugurated by Riyadh Gov. Prince Khaled bin Bandar at the Riyadh Exhibition Center this week witnessed a huge turnout from among families and business community members on Tuesday.

Prince Khaled has said that encouraging the purchase of homemade products will enable Saudi women to work in a conducive environment from their homes.

The event, organized by the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) in association with governmental and nongovernmental organizations, also saw Prince Turki bin Abdullah, deputy governor of Riyadh, participate in the opening ceremony, along with other dignitaries.

The five-day exhibition is showcasing the home products and services of more than 500 Saudi women.

The governor said that the participation of women will not only help them find suitable employment according to their aptitudes, but will also enable them to contribute to the development of the national economy. “There is strong purchasing power among consumers in the Kingdom, and these home products can easily find marketing outlets,” he said, thanking the RCCI for taking up this bold initiative to empower women in the Kingdom.

RCCI Chairman Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil said the event was being organized in cooperation with government and nongovernmental bodies to provide an opportunity for women to earn their living from home. RCCI has received an unprecedented response from women participants, who have evinced keen interest to market their home-produced products to earn their income.

“We will also help these women businessmen to find their capital through various financial houses in the city of Riyadh,” Al-Zamil said.

Mansour Al-Shathry, chairman of RCCI’s board of trustees, said the novel event has gained popularity since women are playing a major role in their businesses to earn income through making home products. “The program comes in line with the national policies of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah who is keen on empowering women for a better role in life,” Al-Shathry said.

The official said that the idea behind the program is to encourage Saudi women to take on self-employment from their own homes. Women from all parts of the Kingdom are taking part, he said. 

Huda Al-Jeraisy, head of the women’s department at the RCCI, told Arab News that a website was launched by the Riyadh governor, which would help participants, as well as buyers, to buy and sell home-made products.

The website, www.e-mall.com.sa, is a free service offered by the Saudi Post to encourage home-based Saudi businesswomen, Al-Jeraisy said. “We also have an arrangement with Saudi Post to deliver the goods to customers at nominal charges,” she said.

She said that participation at the expo is open to Saudi women living in any part of the Kingdom. “We are coordinating with a number of organizations and ministries to help these producers market their home-made products profitably,” Al-Jeraisy said, pointing out that the RCCI was coordinating with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs to issue licenses for these projects so that producers could market them without difficulty.

Items on display include fashion accessories, handicraft, perfumes, incense, food items, pots, garments, women’s jewelries, decoration items and services such as photography.

Jeraisy categorically said the organizers only allow participation of Saudi women with home-made products. “We will also conduct training programs for prospective home product producers to update their skills in manufacturing their items.”