BRJ creates thousands more job opportunities

Bab Rizq Jameel (BRJ), an initiative of ALJ Community Initiatives, created 30,444 job opportunities during the first half of the year, an increase of 22 percent compared to the same period last year.
Job opportunities created for women accounted for 74 percent.
Hassan Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, BRJ president in Saudi Arabia, announced BRJ has achieved positive results through its diversified programs.
Jameel stated the program is cooperating with several government authorities including the Ministry of Labor. It is cooperating in Taqat and Hafiz programs and the programs set up by the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) and other public and private sector organizations such as the National Commercial Bank (NCB).
Jameel added: "We truly appreciate the unlimited support that we get from them in the area of job creation."
Abdulrahman Al Fihaid, BRJ Saudi Arabia executive director, said the productive household program created 15,705 jobs during the first half of the current year, which represents 52 percent of total job opportunities created during this period.
Based on the microfinance concept, the productive household program provides interest-free loans of SR 6,000, payable in easy installments within eight months, to a group of three to five women to start their own micro projects such as selling silver accessories, wedding accessories, gift wrapping, embroidery, perfumes and makeup, among others.
The program is similar to Grameen bank initiatives, but it is mainly for creating jobs.
The program includes several stages, the first of which starts with a loan of between SR 2,000 and SR 6,000.
Since 2004 to the end of June 2012, 139,529 women have benefited from this program.
Nawal, one of the productive household program's beneficiaries in Jeddah, said she has started her successful perfume selling project and is looking to move to the second stage and get a bigger loan so she could expand her activities.
Currently, Nawal's income ranges from SR 1,800 to SR 2,000 a month, with profits reaching up to 30 percent a month.
Ahmed Muqalam, BRJ director in the Northern Province, said the small projects finance program created more than 2,382 job opportunities through 2,382 small projects, of which 1,983 projects were for women and 399 for men.
The program provides young men and women with interest-free loans up to SR 200,000 to finance their new or existing projects.
According to Muqalam, BRJ has started its new Excellent Projects program, for which financing is worth more than SR 500,000.
Ammar Al-Faraj, a beneficiary of the small projects finance program through BRJ’s Alkhobar branch, said that he had been looking for a job for quite some time until he finally heard BRJ was creating diversified job opportunities for young people.
He said: “I immediately applied to BRJ and received SR 200,000 for my small fuel station project. Now I am repaying the installments and saving some money.
“The income from the project ranges from SR 10,000 to SR 13,000. I believe BRJ is opening wide horizons for the young people of this country.”
Ali Al-Qahtani, BRJ director in the Riyadh area, said the direct employment program created 11,501 jobs during the first half of the year.
The program created 6,493 jobs for men and 5,008 jobs for women.
The program matches job seekers with jobs available at private sector companies and introduces companies to qualified job seekers through the BRJ database.
BRJ creates direct jobs with these companies. Positions created included production worker, salesman, security guard, female sales representative and other professions.
Companies that cooperated with BRJ during the first half were Al-Hokair, Tadharis Security Co., SAS International, Avon, Al-Hajri, Al-Rajhi Contracting, Bamco Arabian and Al-Shai'a Internatinal.
Job opportunities are approved after obtaining an official statement from the employers.
According to Ali Al Zahrani, BRJ director in the Eastern Province, the training ending with employment program created 361 jobs, of which 317 were for men and 44 for women during the first half of 2012.
In this program, young people receive training to sharpen their skills in areas required by the labor market. All training courses organized through this program end with job opportunities with the private sector.
Training courses conducted during the first half of 2012 included those on mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, welding and makeup.
Companies working with the program included Al-Hajri in the Eastern Province, Fredrick M (a French beauty products company) and Al-Taif Center.
Shakir Al-Harbi, who had been looking for a job for more than six months, applied to BRJ in Jeddah, where he was interviewed. Through the training ending with employment program, he found a job, and he is currently enrolled in a sales training course with Fawaz Al-Hokair Company.
Hani Al-Zahrani, director of taxi ownership program, said BRJ created 317 job opportunities during the first half of 2012 through this program, in which young Saudi men own their vehicles after payment of installments. Through the truck ownership program, BRJ created 178 job opportunities.
Dhaif Allah Al Attawi, a beneficiary of the truck ownership program in Tabuk, applied to BRJ and received a loan to buy a heavy-duty Dyna truck, after completing all the required procedures.
He said: “Currently, I can easily pay the installments and generate an excellent income. I advise young men to start their own projects. Undoubtedly, BRJ provides an excellent opportunity for young men and women to say goodbye to unemployment.”
Jawaher Al-Zahrani, director of Nafisa Shams Academy for Arts and Crafts, one of BRJ’s initiatives, said the academy has provided training for 450 women in different fields, including makeup, tailoring, carpet production, factory work, customer service and public relations.
In addition, jobs have been created for 225 women through the work from home program, which is supervised by the academy.
Jameel added: “During the first half of 2001, BRJ created 8,209 job opportunities in the western region, followed by 7,615 in the northern region, 6,266 in the central region, 4,734 in the southern region, and 3,620 job in the Eastern Province.
“BRJ is continuously seeking to upgrade its mechanisms and procedures to create more job opportunities for young Saudi men and women.”