In the summer of 2015, the Rumaila Operating Organization (ROO) worked with the AMAR International Charitable Foundation to see how the operation could help make a difference to the lives of the people living in the community of Qarmat Ali.
Many of the village’s women and their children live in poverty, with few opportunities for a better life. With this in mind, research was carried out to gauge community interest and support for a training centre to help these women; to identify who would really benefit, and to also assess existing skills so that the right kind of training could be provided.
ROO’s Social Welfare Fund is money that is set aside to invest in local initiatives to aid communities in and around the oilfield.
The Community Centre for Women opened its doors in August 2015. Located near the Qarmat Ali Water Treatment Plant, the site has teaching classrooms that offer a range of courses, from trade-specific classes such as sewing, design, hairdressing, beauty and craftworks, as well as lessons in literacy, computer usage and human rights.
The centre and the qualified teachers and coaches are paid for by the ROO’s Social Welfare Fund (SWF). This is money that is set aside to invest in local initiatives to aid communities in and around the oilfield. How it is spent is decided by ROO in collaboration with the Rumaila Community Committee and conversations with the local communities.
