Alwaleed Foundation to support unemployment awareness drive

Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of Labor announced on Dec. 3 the launch of the “Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Unemployment Awareness TV Campaign.” The foundation, chaired by Prince Alwaleed bin Talal and vice chaired by Princess Ameerah Al-Taweel, will participate in the nine-monthlong campaign. Rotana was the first company approached by the ministry to support this initiative. Prince Alwaleed commented: “Significantly advancing Saudi youth employment continues to be one of the foundation’s ultimate goals.” The prince added, Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation and Rotana Media Group are proud to be the chosen Ministry of Labor media partners in this campaign, and to do their part to effectively execute Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah’s vision to improve, develop, and benefit the women and men of Saudi Arabia. The SR10 million campaign is running on three Rotana Channels: Rotana Khalijia, Rotana Cinema and Fox Movies. The campaign supporting MOL's initiatives is aligned with Alwaleed Foundation’s long-term commitment to solving the unemployment issue. In line with the Saudi governments’ initiative toward Saudization and improving the employment rate for its citizens, Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), chaired by Prince Alwaleed, currently has 93 percent Saudi employees. The Awareness Campaign is a complementary program to the MOL's efforts to increase Saudi employment, which commenced with the Nitaqat and Hafiz schemes, as well as the new Tawteen and Ta'neeth programs. During 2012, the ministry plans to announce more innovative initiatives to address the unemployment issues and obstacles facing Saudi society. The campaign aims to transform the mindsets of the audience through highlighting some of the causes of unemployment in Saudi society in its messages, such as the lack of trust in female employees ability to join the private sector, corporations not tapping into or recognizing Saudi talent, the stigma attached to blue color jobs, the lack of investment in the Saudi work force or training programs; as well as, the Saudi youth's lack of trust in their ability to climb up the corporate ladder. Prince Alwaleed and Princess Ameerah received Adel Fakeih, minister of labor, at a meeting recently. At the meeting, Alwaleed Foundation and MOL reached an agreement to launch "Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Unemployment Awareness TV Campaign." The meeting was attended by Walid Arab Hashem, vice chairman of Rotana Group, Fahad Alsukait, CEO, Rotana Group, Heba Fatani, senior executive manger corporate communications department and Nahla Alanbar, private executive assistant to the chairman.  The Foundation also supports the following projects for the empowerment of women that includes the Al Faisaliah Women’s Charitable Society, “Seleslah” to support handicrafts and the women involved in the work. This project has grown during the past six years to become the center that trained and employed 150 women. Other projects include Hirfa and Fatat Alihsa Society that supported more 400 women.