RIYADH: The number of women’s businesses incubated by the Badir Program for Technology Incubators grew by 144 percent in 2017 to 44.
The businesses are active in the fields of telecommunications, software, e-commerce and smartphone apps.
Badir, an initiative of King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology, expects the coming years to see a rise in Saudi entrepreneurship due to support from government agencies.
The Kingdom is encouraging innovation and technical development in startups, and expects the sector to play a vital role in the economy.
Badir CEO Nawaf Al-Sahhaf said the program is supporting the ambitions and initiatives of Saudi female entrepreneurs, helping them participate in local and regional conferences, and providing them with women-only offices to conduct workshops that prepare them to efficiently manage their businesses.
“Badir has raised Saudi women’s awareness about technology entrepreneurship, and promoted a culture of free enterprise through conducting workshops and training programs, speaking to college students, and participating in university events,” he said.
Al-Sahhaf urged Saudi female entrepreneurs to reach out to Badir, which he said will provide logistic, technical and consultative support as long as the idea is innovative.
“Badir will also provide an office for the business, and the right to access modern and advanced facilities and labs,” he added.
The program has incubated 239 technology projects since its establishment until the end of 2017. Those projects have created some 1,615 full-time and part-time jobs for Saudi youths.
Saudi women’s technology businesses incubated by Badir up 144%
Saudi women’s technology businesses incubated by Badir up 144%
KSrelief initiates treatment in Jordan for cancer-stricken Gaza girl
- Roza Al-Dreimli was transferred to Jordan through the initiative of KSrelief, amid the Gaza war that has destroyed hospitals
- She is currently under assessment and observation at the King Hussein Cancer Center, ahead of treatment
AMMAN: A cancer-stricken Palestinian girl from Gaza is now undergoing clinical observation prior to treatment at a specialist hospital in Jordan, thanks to the Saudi aid agency KSrelief.
Roza Al-Dreimli was transported to Amman from the Gaza Strip through the initiative of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) as part of Saudi Arabia’s continued commitment to providing life-saving aid and medical care to Palestinians suffering from critical health conditions, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday.
The report said that Roza’s case was prioritized due to the complexity of her condition, as assessments indicated a need for advanced treatment of cancerous cells at the base of the brain. She is now at the King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC).
"Under the supervision of a medical team specialized in pediatric brain tumors, she is currently undergoing intensive clinical monitoring and precise periodic examinations to assess the tumor’s response to treatment, ensure control of the condition, and prevent any potential neurological or visual complications resulting from the tumor’s location," SPA said.
The family expressed profound gratitude for KSrelief’s swift intervention, noting that the specialized care provided at KHCC has renewed their hope for their daughter’s recovery.
Such specialized care is currently unavailable in the Gaza Strip because of the destruction of hospitals during 26 months of bombardment by the Israeli military.
Israel systematically destroyed homes and commercial buildings and infrastructure in the Palestinian enclave in retaliation to the Oct. 7, 2023, raid by Hamas of Israeli border villages, during which the militant group killed more than 1,200 people and took 254 hostages.
