02 September 2014
Muscat: As part of its efforts to support Omani nationals in finding employment, the Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) sponsored the training of 20 low-income women to become silversmiths.
The company funded the four-month vocational training programme through its pioneer project, Banat Oman, which is run in partnership with the Omani Women's Association, to help increase job and business opportunities for women. The housewives were taught silver craft by a professional instructor at Muscat's Transformation Institute and are now able to make a wide range of silver items, including jewellery, key chains and napkin rings.
PDO Managing Director Raoul Restucci, who presented qualification certificates to the successful trainees, said, "It's very impressive that these women have learned an important, traditional Omani craft and can now make beautiful gifts, souvenirs and other silverware items for sale. Their order books are already filling up and we are confident they will go from strength to strength once we help with further marketing.
The PDO has invested about OMR150,000 in the Banat Oman project which has so far taught new job skills to more than 200 low-income women, including tailoring, embroidery, bakery, leather craft, camel bone carving and dairy product manufacture.
Income from the sale of products is distributed among the women and reinvested into Banat Oman to sustain the business and take it to the next level. The PDO is assisting with marketing the goods, and agreements have been forged to supply the five-star Rotana and Juweira resort hotels in Taqa with products such as souvenirs, staff uniforms, bed sheets, dairy and bakery goods.
A gift shop has also been opened for guests at the Juweira hotel and a retail boutique in Muscat has begun stocking the products.
Muscat: As part of its efforts to support Omani nationals in finding employment, the Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) sponsored the training of 20 low-income women to become silversmiths.
The company funded the four-month vocational training programme through its pioneer project, Banat Oman, which is run in partnership with the Omani Women's Association, to help increase job and business opportunities for women. The housewives were taught silver craft by a professional instructor at Muscat's Transformation Institute and are now able to make a wide range of silver items, including jewellery, key chains and napkin rings.
PDO Managing Director Raoul Restucci, who presented qualification certificates to the successful trainees, said, "It's very impressive that these women have learned an important, traditional Omani craft and can now make beautiful gifts, souvenirs and other silverware items for sale. Their order books are already filling up and we are confident they will go from strength to strength once we help with further marketing.
The PDO has invested about OMR150,000 in the Banat Oman project which has so far taught new job skills to more than 200 low-income women, including tailoring, embroidery, bakery, leather craft, camel bone carving and dairy product manufacture.
Income from the sale of products is distributed among the women and reinvested into Banat Oman to sustain the business and take it to the next level. The PDO is assisting with marketing the goods, and agreements have been forged to supply the five-star Rotana and Juweira resort hotels in Taqa with products such as souvenirs, staff uniforms, bed sheets, dairy and bakery goods.
A gift shop has also been opened for guests at the Juweira hotel and a retail boutique in Muscat has begun stocking the products.
© Times of Oman 2014
