RIYADH: Awad Al-Rashidi, a Saudi orphan from Madinah, has partnered with nonprofits to create a digital platform that provides training sessions, aiming to empower youths and families going through struggles similar to his own.
At one time, Al-Rashidi relied on the social security program that looked after underprivileged families and orphans in Madinah. Today, he works as a history teacher, and has a staunch commitment to social responsibility.
Awad Al-Rashidi, Muntijuh founder
“For 18 years of my life, the Social Security Office has been responsible for me. I am a person with a passion for social responsibility. I love helping others and I love to make an impact in this life (by) planting happiness in hearts,” Al-Rashidi told Arab News.
In October 2020, he joined forces with the Social Security Office in Madinah to launch a digital platform that works with a first-of-its-kind visual identity system while serving social security categories and productive families.
I love helping others and I love to make an impact in this life (by) planting happiness in hearts.
Awad Al-Rashidi, Muntijuh founder
The application provided productive families with a platform to showcase their products and services. However, Al-Rashidi was keen to give courses to the beneficiaries of the platform, which he called “Muntijuh.”
“It became the talk of the city, and after this stage, I turned to establishing community partnerships with charitable organizations,” he said.
To grow the platform, Al-Rashidi needed a work team and lacked the financial liquidity.
Awadh Al-Rashidi tells the tale of an orphan who was raised on social security payments and who later turns into a strategic partner who gives back to the community. (Supplied)
“I visited the International College of Technology in Madinah and offered them that I would empower the female students of the college … to work with me on the platform and earn working hours.”
Some students were approved for the projects.
As news of Muntijuh spread, he was contacted by stc about its desire to participate with the productive families within the application that was operating at that time throughout the Kingdom. The company facilitated for eight families to participate in the activities of Saudi National Day in 2021.
Awadh Al-Rashidi tells the tale of an orphan who was raised on social security payments and who later turns into a strategic partner who gives back to the community. (Supplied)
“The eight families participated in the National Day activities for three days, during which we achieved beautiful sales for them, and the application began to grow. It began to grow with me, but shortly after that, an agreement was concluded with the Riyadh Social Security Office, and this agreement became the new challenge for me,” Al-Rashidi said.
The platform grew and became a strategic human resources partner in an event called Huraymila Bazaar in the Huraymila area of Riyadh, eventually turning into a business incubator company.
The platform entered the evaluation and classification stage, nominated by Monshaat, the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises, to receive an Australian and Omani delegation to evaluate the platform.
Al-Rashidi is now an entrepreneur and the CEO of a platform that turned social responsibility into a tangible reality in three years. “Today I have a family consisting of a wife, three daughters, and two sons, and I would like to thank my family for tolerating my absence from them,” he said.
He noted the support of the government and its agencies that “welcomed the initiative, exploited the capabilities, and gave us headquarters to hold the events.”
To join and for more information, visit muntiijuh.com.
