Muscat: The Ministry of Social Development today held a ceremony to celebrate the graduation of 60 people with disabilities who comprised the second batch of a training programme carried out in implementation of an initiative themed “Be with Us for Them”. The ceremony was held under the auspices of Dr. Laila Ahmed Al Najjar, Minister of Social Development, who delivered a statement in which she valued the role and contribution of the private sector, companies and government institutions that took the initiative, aimed to provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities after they complete the training programme.

According to Oman News Agency, the initiative included training on customer service, office management, document printing and copying, and electronic archiving. The initiative provided training and rehabilitation for people with mental, motor, and hearing disabilities. Twenty-one of the participants received training at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences in the Wilayat of Sohar in the Governorate of North Al Batinah, while 39 were trained at Mohammed Al Barwani Training Institute in Al Athaiba, Governorate of Muscat.

The initiative, which is a partnership between the Ministry of Social Development and the Specialized Human Development Centre, is a step forward in realizing the goals of Oman Vision 2040. It focuses on engaging key sectors in Oman to take on social responsibility, empowering people with disabilities, and utilizing innovative human resource ideas.

Launched in September 2022, the ‘Be with Us for Them’ initiative has so far generated 57 direct employment opportunities for the disabled and offered on-the-job training through the participation of 13 private sector establishments. The initiative aims to achieve the occupational empowerment of 500 disabled people by 2027.