Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar

:: Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar launched a project on Wednesday to provide 10,000 jobs for young men and women in the capital and give self-help loans totaling SR11 million ($2.9 million) to unemployed youths.

Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdul Aziz, deputy governor of the Riyadh region, and Prince Faisal bin Abdulrahman bin Abdul Aziz, chairman of the board of directors of the Association of Development and Financing of Productive Families in Riyadh, also attended the event.

Prince Faisal bin Abdulrahman announced the launch of more than 10,000 jobs for young men and women with the signing of 27 agreements with private-sector companies and the provision of loans to 180 young men and women with a total value of more than SR11 million.

He also announced the launch of the Prince Abdulrahman bin Abdul Aziz center for training and employment.

Saleh Al-Yousef, director general of Ensan Charity Committee for Orphans Care, launched a project called Ijdah, which will help Saudi male and female youths to gain skills for employment in the local market. Yousef said that some 6,000 young men and women will be trained under the program.

The governor signed several agreements including with Dr. Sulaiman Al-Habib Hospital to train and employ 1,055 beneficiaries, Riyadh United factory to employ 30 beneficiaries, as well as the Innovative Foods Company to train and employ 200 youths, and with the dates factory in Zulfi to enable 200 beneficiaries.

Saudi journalist, Musad Al-Zayani, who is based in Dubai, told Arab News that this was the need of the hour, and the projects would create a brighter future for youths who were going to be employed in various sectors in private establishments. “I am happier since they will be trained properly to suit their vocations and to get better outputs,” he said.