Tabuk: A group of 19 women in Tabuk are making a living by using their creative powers to arrange flowers in beautiful bouquets for the domestic and international market. This year they have already used 22 million flowers for their work. Their success has now attracted many others, who feel that this type of economic activity opens up job opportunities for Saudi women. Some of these women travel 80 kilometers to-and-from the rose farms to prove they are productive and can contribute effectively to the country's development. Hanan Al-Balawi, who is an active member of the project and a university graduate, said she was unable to find work, until she learned about flower arranging. “In the beginning I thought it would take me a long time to adapt to the new environment,” she said. But now she has settled in and finds the work interesting. She travels 80 kilometers every day to the work site. Badryia Al-Balawi said she heard about the project from her friends and decided to join. “We arrange the bulk flowers for special events. We design all the bouquets and centerpieces using about 30 flowers. I couldn't believe how fresh they are. My bouquets looked amazing for three days.” She said all the women were competing with each other to display their creative talents. They have a wonderful team spirit and prepare 10,000 to 15,000 bouquets a day, she added. Amna Ibrahim, 25, urged the authorities to allow females to work in flower shops and open flower shops exclusively for women, pointing out that this will create jobs.
