In continuance with its strategicobjective towards serving the community which entails training and employingpersons with disabilities, Savola Group celebrated the graduation of 18graduates with physical disabilities in preparation for them to embark on theirnew careers providing by Savola at their various sectors.  This new batch will join their fellowgraduates from the first batch that have completed the program in July 2010.

Theevent, held in Roshan Mall was attended by key executives from the Savola Groupin addition to key executives from the private and public sectors as well asrepresentatives from the training institutes cooperating with Savola's Centerfor Empowering Persons with Disabilities (Makeen).

SavolaGroup Managing Director, Dr. Abdulraouf Mannaa explained that Savola's Centerfor Empowering Persons with Disabilities (Makeen) is the cornerstone ofSavola's corporate social responsibility programs.  Makeen's strategic importance is to achieve aseries of humanitarian, social, and economic objectives by supporting this veryimportant segment of the society enabling them to develop themselves andbecomes a productive members of the community. 

Dr.Mannaa added, "Not being able to achieve these objectives and realize ambitionsis a disability in itself, however we are here to achieve our objectives incorporate social responsibility through Makeen Center as well as achieve keyambitions of this very valued segment in the Saudi Community" He added, "Thegraduation of this batch comes as an important step for Savola towardssustainability and continuity to support this important segment of oursociety."

Makeen'sprogram does not only provide employment for persons with disabilities withinthe Savola Group companies only, however the program expanded its reach tocover other private sector organizations.

Accordingto Faten A. Al Yafi, Senior Executive Director for Corporate SocialResponsibility and Public Relations explained the journey of Savola's Makeenprogram through a short documentary telling the story of the Center and thepilot program.

AlYafi added that collaborating with specialized training institutions allowedthe program administrators to design various training courses and programs thatare compatible with the job requirements at Savola, which created anopportunity for the trainees to focus on the most important skills andcapabilities required. It is with certainty that this will help them excel intheir field after completing more than 114 hours of training that includedvarious theoretical and practical courses in fields relating to their jobrequirements.  Al Yafi also explainedthat these new graduates will be continuously assessed during their job incooperation with the Human Resources Departments within the Savola Groupproviding them with all the proper working conditions and tools to continue intheir jobs and become fully integrated in the work environment.  More efforts are underway to take on morecandidates as part of the Makeen program to train and employ persons withdisabilities for the current year and 2012.

Speakingon behalf of the graduates, Abdullah Al Zahrani expressed his appreciation andgratitude to The Savola Group which provided this valuable opportunity for himand his colleagues to prove to everyone their capabilities, skills, andachievements.  He pointed, "Savola's roledid not stop at training only, and it went on to finding jobs for us andplacing us within The Group and in other private companies willing to hire us".

TheSavola Group launched the Center for Training and Employing Persons withDisabilities (Makeen) that aims to train and place 100 disabled persons. Makeenwas put in place after a yearlong of in-depth research with European expertsabout the local market and the appropriate positions available for people withdisabilities.