JEDDAH: Abdul Latif Jameel Community Services launched its new identity on Tuesday to become Abdul Latif Jameel Community Initiatives (ALJCI) with its Executive Director Ibrahim M. Badawood announcing that ALJCI will create 45,000 new jobs by the year's end.
"Since our inception seven years ago, we have created 135,000 jobs and we plan to create thousands of new job opportunities by 2015," Badawood told a press conference.
He added that the new identity has been launched in order to unify and strengthen the social programs provided by the Abdul Latif Jameel Group locally and internationally. Its new programs are being introduced under its new identity.
"This new identity, ALJCI, will unite all existing and new initiatives under one banner locally and internationally and allow us to accommodate the widest possible range of programs in our continued effort to help give back to the societies where we live and work," said Badawood.
The new identity retains the heart shape and this combined with the "because we love you" calligraphy reflects the "love of community" that is the very foundation of the ALJ community service programs.
The change from "Community Services" to "Community Initiatives" reflects the wide scope of projects that ALJ has undertaken since inception both locally and internationally from job creation programs and employment training to support for small businesses and other areas in society such as health care, he added.
Some of the known ALJ Community initiatives include Bab Rizq Jameel, which offers job opportunities and training locally direct employment programs supporting small enterprises and families, work from home programs and franchise programs.
In addition, ALJCI provides support to the Toyota Technical Education Program, the Saudi Japanese Automobile High Institute, Saudi Institute for Health Services, Saudi Electronics Institute, ALJ Auto Denting and Painting Institute, Nafisa Shams Academy for Arts and Crafts, and other programs aimed at providing job opportunities for young men and women.
Badawood said ALJCI had expanded its services and programs in other Arab countries to include initiatives, such as the Abdul Latif Jameel Grant for Funding Scientific Research and Innovation in Technology, Jameel Gallery at the Victoria & Albert Museum, Grameen-Jameel Pan-Arab Micro-finance, and 1,001 Islamic inventions. Egypt, Syia, Turkey and Morocco are among the countries where its programs have already taken roots or are in the process of introduction. Its Turkey branch opened last month.
Coinciding with the new identity will be an incentive to develop and increase the services that the company wants to provide to communities at the local and international levels, according to Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, CEO, ALJCI.
By K.S.Ramkumar
© Arab News 2010
