20 women complete PDO training

Twenty women have successfully completed a PDO-funded vocational training scheme to design and make bags for adults and children.

They will now be able to earn a living by selling products including rucksacks, backpacks and shoulder bags, as well as pass on their knowledge to others in their communities.

PDO teamed up with the Omani Women’s Association (OWA) in Wilayat Al Hamra to run the onemonth course and also bought equipment for a workshop where the ladies can make their merchandise. The women can now make a variety of bags for school and leisure activities, such as hiking, shopping and going to the gym.

The training scheme was run as part of PDO’s Banat Oman social enterprise, which has so far provided vocational training for hundreds of women from low-income backgrounds in skills such as tailoring, embroidery, dairy product manufacture and crafting jewellery.

PDO External Affairs and Value Creation Director Abdul-Amir al Ajmi said: “I am delighted that these women have taken this opportunity to find self-employment by learning new skills. This will help them start their own businesses or work collectively with others to make and sell their goods.

“At the same time, they can also share their knowledge with others and will be able to supply the market with an Omani product that was fully manufactured in the Sultanate.

“This training and the new workshop highlight how our Banat Oman project’s successful collaboration with OWA is supporting female empowerment and sustainable employment across Oman.”

Zahra bint Salim al Abri, President of OWA in Al Hamra, said: “We are grateful for PDO’s tremendous support in providing this workshop to give these women the opportunity to develop their skills.

This initiative supports OWA’s goal of assisting low-income families to become permanently independent.

Also, having an in-house workshop in the Association will allow us to continue this work, train other women and produce quantities of product as per market demands.