Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) underlined its role as a national champion of socio-economic development at a joint signing ceremony for two work training schemes for 100 women living in the south of its concession area. The event in Salalah – held under the auspices of Shaikh Abdullah bin Saif al Mahrooqi, Deputy Governor of Dhofar – formally marked the Company’s commitment to supporting the training of 70 women in leather craft in Rabkut (Wilayat of Thamrait) and 30 women in tailoring and embroidery in Wilayat Taqah.
Shaikh Amour bin Salim Kishob, Wali of Thamrait, and Shaikh Bakeet bin Said Mohammed Muhsin, Wali of Taqah, were joined by Suleiman al Mantheri, PDO’s External Affairs and Communications Manager, to sign the agreements for the courses which will teach the women the necessary craft skills to make quality goods from which they can earn a living.
Recently, PDO also celebrated the official opening of a Thursday market in Shaleem under the auspices of Shaikh Bakheet bin Salim al Maashani, Wali of Shaleem and Juzur Al Halaniyyat. PDO funded the construction of the market, with recently completed facility upgrades, as part of its Social Investment Programme to boost the commercial opportunities for local Omanis living in its concession area.
The company also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Wali to sponsor the construction of a camel race track in Shaleem. In addition, PDO has recently agreed — in collaboration with the Ministry of Health — to support the expansion of the health centre in Shaleem into a hospital to provide essential health services to the community.
Praising PDO’s support of the community, Bakheet bin Salim al Maashani said: “We are very grateful to PDO for its major contribution to our community. The livestock market will become a vital trading hub for those working in local agriculture and is further proof of the Company’s growing reputation as a good corporate citizen.”
Engineer Suleiman al Mantheri, who promotes PDO’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drive, said: “PDO has a long-standing commitment to support social investment projects that deliver lasting and sustainable benefits to local communities to help them develop and prosper.”
PDO’s Social Investment Programme covers many areas and has recently shifted its focus towards training initiatives. During the course of 2011, more than 600 people participated in PDO-funded training programmes, many of them in small towns and villages.
The Company’s CSR efforts have been recognised officially on many occasions. The latest was on June 10 when PDO received the Alam al-Iktisaad Wal A’mal (AIWA) Award for Excellence in Corporate Leadership for its ambitious plan to secure long-term sustainable commercial benefits for Oman and to generate thousands of new employment opportunities.