RIYADH: Al-Sadeeqat, the first soccer team in Saudi Arabia for women with disabilities, has scored a sponsorship deal.
The agreement was signed in Riyadh on Thursday by Princess Ghadeer Bint Abdullah Bin Saud, chair of the board of directors of the Friends of People with Disabilities Association (FPDA), and Faisal Al-Amro, partner and general manager of Pioneers Consulting.
Princess Ghadeer said that people with disabilities are an important and beloved part of Saudi society, and that the Kingdom guarantees their rights in every way.
Al-Amro said that in the seven years since the business was founded, Pioneers Consulting has earned the trust of clients in the public, private and non-profit sectors, and as part of its belief in social responsibility it is now proud to sponsor the Kingdom’s first soccer team for women with disabilities.
Princess Dania bint Abdullah bin Saud, the FPDA’s executive director, said that one of the aims of Saudi Vision 2030 is to ensure that people with disabilities are given the opportunity to participate in the social life of the country, and to empower them to develop and reach their full potential. Such empowerment is an integral part of the country’s sustainable development plan.
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Princess Dania bint Abdullah bin Saud, the FPDA’s executive director, said that one of the aims of Saudi Vision 2030 is to ensure that people with disabilities are given the opportunity to participate in the social life of the country, and to empower them to develop and reach their full potential. Such empowerment is an integral part of the country’s sustainable development plan.
She told Arab News that the association looks forward to Al-Sadeeqat becoming the first officially accredited team for women with special needs, so that it can compete in local, regional and international competitions under the association’s banner.
Eithar Al-Baltan, consultant and partnerships officer at Pioneers Consulting, said that the sponsorship deal reflects the company’s belief in corporate social responsibility, in line with Vision 2030, and in the importance of quality of life.
Princess Sarah bint Nawaf, who is helping to run Al-Sadeeqat, said that the team was established to help support the development of sporting abilities among women with disabilities. Participating in sports can help with the rehabilitation of disabled people and also has positive effects on their mental health, she added.
She told Arab News that she hopes that the team will help to increase participation by people with disabilities in sport, and urged families to get involved by encouraging and supporting their children’s sporting dreams.
Al-Sadeeqat is just the beginning for the FPDA, which said that it hopes expand its activities to include other sports for disabled athletes.
