Injaz Al-Arab Board convenes in Qatar

Operating in 13 countries across the Middle East and North Africa region, Injaz al-Arab - an affiliate of Junior Achievement World Wide - is a confederation of national operations collaborating with corporate volunteers and Ministries of Education to provide experiential education and training to Arab youth in work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

Injaz Al-Arab Regional board members visiting Doha included CEOs and managing directors of Bin Zayed Group, Abraaj Capital, Middle East Intel Corporation, Zain Group, Hill & Knowlton Middle East & Africa, Aramex, Amwal, Citi Group, McKinsey & Co, HSBC, and Bank of New York Mellon. Sean Rush, President of Junior Achievement Worldwide, also visited Doha for the board meeting.

Speaking before the meeting, Sheikha Hanadi, founding chair of Injaz Qatar, commented: "My role as part of Injaz-Al Arab's regional board is of great importance to me and I'm delighted to have hosted the board meeting in my home country, Qatar.

"Injaz Qatar has been successful and very instrumental in shaping the students of Qatar today. I am proud to be part of a network of Arab countries that are all aiming to prepare and inspire our youth for their future working lives."

The two board meetings held in the Arab world each year rotate between member nations to provide an opportunity for the regional board to visit the different operations in each country. Past board meeting locations have included Jordan, Egypt, UAE and Lebanon. The next board meeting will be held in Morocco in October of this year.

As the only organization in the MENA region that aims to equip students with practical business-related skills as part of the regular educational curriculum, Injaz al-Arab programs offer students an unbroken chain of educational opportunities that will strengthen their innovation, deepen their understanding of the business world, and give them professional qualifications to enable their success in the global economy.

In parallel, it fosters among business leaders a responsibility for investing their resources in the future of the region's youth and becoming the mirrors they want to see in the world by mentoring and inspiring young people to rise to their true potential. Since its inception in 2004, Injaz al-Arab programs have reached more than 500,000 students and engaged 10,000 volunteers.

A National Board of Directors leads each Injaz country operation, with the Injaz al-Arab Regional Board responsible for directing overall strategy and organizational governance. These bodies comprise the region's top business leaders who share a common ideal for the Arab youth.
With 100 million Arab students in the pipeline soon to be seeking jobs, it is crucial to engage the private sector to address this burning issue. Today, Injaz is reaching 170,000 students in 13 countries - Kuwait, UAE, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Yemen - with the mandate to take it across the region. The organization's goal this decade is to reach one million youth each year by 2018. As the organization spreads to more and more communities, the Injaz al Arab Regional Board plays a central role in keeping up with increasing demand.

Regional Board members lead the growth of this movement, set the direction for the 200 CEOs now serving on Injaz country boards, and open new doors in the region. Board members act as ambassadors in their own organizations, and the business community at large, to mobilize corporate volunteers and financial resources to support growth and attain sustainability.

Injaz Qatar launched its operations in September 2007 and is chaired by Sheikha Hanadi AL Thani and includes on its board of Directors AMWAL, Qatar Financial Center Authority, HSBC, Exxon Mobil, Deloitte and Touche, Al Khaliji Commercial Bank, Carnegie Mellon University, and Blue Salon.