JEDDAH — Building on the tremendous success of Bab Rizq Jameel (BRJ) – one of Community Jameel's Initiatives – in empowering female talent and their contribution to the workforce, Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, President of Community Jameel, and Chief Job Creation Officer at BRJ, launched the BRJ Female Recruitment Company, at Hussein Jameel House in Abdul Latif Jameel headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Over the last eight years, BRJ has supported over 8,0217 beneficiaries in attaining jobs, a target that will reach greater heights with the formation of the recently founded female recruitment company. Commenting on the program's significant contribution to eradicating female unemployment, Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel said: “I would like to express my gratitude to the Saudi government and its wise leadership for facilitating the role of private sector companies in reaching all layers of society. As such, I extend thanks to both public and private companies for their support, which continues to fuel our march towards furthering the growth of our community.” In the first half of 2015 alone, BRJ helped create 18,015 jobs for women, marking a 56% increase over the same period last year. “The launch of (BRJ Female Recruitment Company) stems from our core belief in gender equality, and the critical role of women in building a productive society and a thriving economy. We aim, through this company, to provide women in Saudi Arabia with a platform to build their skills and further their standing in the local job market,” said Rola Basamad, Senior General Manager of BRJ Female Recruitment Company. “Through our programs we have thus far reached 96 cities across Saudi Arabia, seeking to recruit as many women as possible and to provide them with an opportunity to build a self-fulfilling career. Targeted recruits will address the employment needs of our client base which consists of over 1,380 companies in Saudi Arabia's private sector”, she added. During the first half of 2015, Saudi Arabia's Western Region saw the highest number of employment opportunities, reaching 4,513 jobs for women, the most of which were in Jeddah, Makkah, and Taif. The Central Region of Saudi Arabia ranked 2nd, with 4,500 job opportunities, most of which were in Riyadh, Qassim, Dawadmi, Al Kharj, Al Mazahmeya, and Shaqra. Women in other regions also had their share of jobs, where 3,949 job opportunities were provided for women in the Eastern Region, 2,553 jobs in the Northern Region, and 2,500 jobs in the Southern Region during the first half of 2015. As for other BRJ programs, the ‘Working Remotely Program' – a program that allows women to work from home, from remote working centers, or from the One-Stop shop service centers – managed to provide the highest number of job opportunities during the first half of 2015, offering 6,616 jobs. This was followed by the ‘Seasonal Work Program', which provides employment for women who only work for a certain period of the year during seasonal holidays such as Eid and Haj, for a contractually pre-agreed financial reward. The program provided 3,666 job opportunities during the same period. Other programs include the ‘Retail Program', targeting women working in the female retail sector. This sector was expanded to include other administrative specialties, providing 2,541 jobs. Additional initiatives such as the ‘Factories & Production Program', helped create 1,044 jobs. The ‘Training Resulting in Employment Program' created 652 jobs, while the ‘Part-Time Job Program' contributed 555 jobs. Finally 2,941 jobs were offered in other disciplines including administrative, health, and service sectors. Basamad concluded with a motivational note urging Saudi women to work diligently and pursue their dreams; she said: “Through the efforts of our sisters and daughters, we will be able to create a bright future; and together we will overcome challenges faced by Saudi woman and take on senior roles in management, corporate leadership and government posts.” — SG
