RIYADH: Eastern Province Gov. Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdul Aziz hosted a ceremony inaugurating three new programs launched by Saudi Aramco to support the community and empower future generations in Dharan on Tuesday.
“The launch of these initiatives aims to promote sustainability in everything we do by protecting the environment, investing in people, and providing job opportunities to improve the lives of communities,” Amin Nasser, Saudi Aramco’s president and CEO, said.
The three new programs launched by Aramco include the Ajyal Center for Comprehensive Education and Life Skills, the Leading National Academy, and the Mangrove Eco-Park.
ACCEL works in cooperation with the Arizona Centers for Comprehensive Education and Life Skills to provide holistic services in line with global standards for people with disabilities.
The center aims to maximize the abilities of individuals with disabilities by providing educational programs to develop their skills while promoting inclusivity and talent.
Nasser said the center started its work serving 50 beneficiaries, and today serves about 200 people with disabilities while aiming to serve more than 300 by 2024.
The Leading National Academy is solely for women. It plans to increase the number of graduates trained to work in technical and professional industries through initiatives such as job placement assistance.
The Leading National Academy launched in 2020 with 400 graduates, but Aramco plans to expand the program to increase the number of future graduates.
The Mangrove Eco-Park, meanwhile, was launched to restore and protect biodiversity by planting millions of mangrove seedlings that will act as a “carbon sink,” gathering five times more carbon per hectare compared to other types of trees.
Nasser said that Aramco is continuing its efforts to preserve the environment for future generations by increasing vegetation and opening parks in alignment with the Saudi Green Initiative.
“The initiative goes beyond its name, as we are not just planting trees, but we are planting the future for our country and future generations,” he said.
Nasser shared that the park covers an area of 64 square kilometers and is visited by more than 100 different species of birds annually, including the phoebes and curlews that migrate from regions as far as Russia.
The park will provide recreational activities, and will be open soon to all visitors.
Nasser said Aramco’s these projects are aligned with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 initiatives.
Prince Saud, meanwhile, stressed the importance of initiatives such as these to further expand society’s positive impact and improvement.
He commended Saudi Aramco on its many programs and educational projects that have supported the sector and contributed to the growth of the Kingdom.
Nasser explained that Aramco has been dedicated to supporting the construction and rehabilitation of dozens of schools in the Eastern Province.
He added that this comes as a part of its core initiatives in preserving the environment and investing in human capital in the Kingdom by creating job opportunities and improving the quality of life for citizens through new projects that empower local communities.
