By A Staff Reporter — MUSCAT — Oman Oil Company (OOC) and the Omani Women’s Association in Barka (OWA) in partnership with Qurum City Centre have organised a Charity Bazaar aimed at supporting orphans as well as women with small businesses. The bazaar, that is taking place from July 29 — August 2, 2012, was inaugurated by Raheela bint Amir al Riyamiya, member of the Majlis Addawla and attended by number of OOC officials, OWA’s members and members of the press.
Organising the “Goodwill” bazaar is an OOC initiative aimed at fostering ties with non-governmental associations by providing all the support required in order to help develop the community, as well as supporting orphans. Around 40 women with their own business will display their products such as clothing, abayas, accessories, and Omani dates. There will also be a special kids’ zone with different entertainment activities. Funds raised during the event will be donated to orphans.
OOC seeks to entrench the principle of social solidarity within the society especially for orphans and disadvantaged families. The company is working hard to support these categories through a series of social investment programmes in health, education and building capacities areas. OOC’s Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Al Mutasim al Sariri said: “We are pleased with our partnership with OWA as it forms part of the company’s CSR commitment to support the local community and to promote women’s micro and small & medium enterprises (SME) initiatives.”
He further added that the main focus of OOC’s CSR strategy is to help develop people. Shaikha Saada al Mudhafar from OWA expressed her gr atitude to OOC for their efforts in supporting the Omani Women Association’s initiatives. She also thanked Qurum City Centre for making the bazaar a success. “I hope that will be more collaboration between non-governmental organisations and private and government sectors to establish these kinds of social initiatives,” she added.
For the past few months, OOC adapted different CSR activates, for example, singing an agreement with Ministry of Social development to finance the diploma of special education programme for 20 female supervisors of Al Wafa disabled Rehabilitation Centre as well as supply and installation of interactive boards at the Disabled care and Rehabilitation centre and setting up a greenhouse at the childhood care centre.
Moreover, the company celebrates recently with the Ministry of Education the closing of the summer youth programme “Ghaytuh”.