By Fatima Muhammad
JEDDAH — The Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry has announced that it will form a new committee of junior businessmen within the age group of 8-14.
The move follows a number of training courses organized by the chamber over the last couple of months to introduce children to the commercial and industrial sectors. The children were then give a chance to start a trade exhibition where the transactions reached SR400,000.
The MCCI board member and head of the trade commission, Hassan Kansara, said they selected 25 children of both sexes out of a total of 60 who participated in the exhibition.
"We wanted to allow all children to become members. However, we are sure there will be occasional rotations to allow more children a chance to participate."
He added that the training courses will be available to all and will be offered for free. "We aim to equip the young generation with both education and industrial knowhow to make them a generation that develops a sense of responsibility and is capable of achieving what is best," said Kansara.
He called on parents to encourage their children and support them.
Kansara said they will sponsor the children by providing them with a real business environment where they can become creative and innovative. He added that they will introduce the same program to another age group later and turn them into the entrepreneurs of future.
Ahlam Khawandara, founder and organizer of the junior traders event, said the Makkah chamber took the first step of its kind in the Kingdom by establishing the new junior businessmen committee. "This move will create the base for rational investments in the future. The chamber will enhance the efforts of the junior investors to present a positive image of the young Saudi traders in a way that will meet the goals of Vision 2030."
The training will include children and their mothers. The goal is to design their projects on proper bases. The training includes a 12-hour course, in addition to field tours.
