Citizenship in Action
Aramco’s apprentices walk the talk in Jiddah
‘Walk the Walk Together’ promotes sports and exercise for people with intellectual and physical disabilities.
On Dec. 16, 28 Aramco volunteers supported and engaged special-needs kids at the 10th Annual Marathon “Walk the Walk Together.”
Sponsored by the Help Center, a nonprofit organization committed to enhancing the quality of life of individuals with intellectual disabilities by giving them the opportunity to learn, live, work, and play, in a safe environment, the event sought to promote and foster the concepts of sports and exercise among people with intellectual and physical disabilities.
Ibrahim A. Attiah, superintendent of the Central Region/Western Region Training Division, said volunteering is just one way in which the company shows its commitment to the communities where we operate.
We encourage our apprentices to be part of social services events to build their character and a strong sense of social responsibility and to be present to help anyone in need whether it is inside or outside of Aramco, as it is our corporate value of citizenship.
— Ibrahim A. Attiah
The spirit of volunteerism
Volunteers echoed this spirit of social responsibility.
“My experience was phenomenal, today Aramco taught us a great lesson, which is giving is more important than taking, and we give those children happiness,” said Faisal M. Al Qarni, an apprentice from the Industrial Training Department.
Volunteers from the Apprentice Program for Non-Employees (APNE) at the Jiddah Industrial Training Center, and staff from the Western Region Terminal Department (WRTD), the WR Industrial Security Operations Department (WRISOD), and the WR Distribution Department (WRDD) supported special-needs kids from multiple organizations in Jiddah/Makkah.
Some APNE volunteers offered sideline support as spectators. Volunteers supported the special-needs runners with cheering and ringing bells. Other APNE volunteers helped special-needs kids to the finish line from the 200-meter point.
Volunteers from other Aramco departments worked closely with the marathon organizers to ensure the safety of runners along the track. “I enjoyed my role as a safety adviser, and I hope to be part of more social services events in the future,” said Hattan H. Amish, an employee from WRTD.
“It was an extremely rich and fruitful experience to be there for the special-needs kids marathon,” said Ibrahim Alghamdi, an employee from WRDD.
“We enjoyed our time encouraging and walking with the participants from the starting point to the finish area,” said Abdulrahman T. Al-Dossari, an employee from WRISOD.
Seven races, one cause
The marathon includes seven races organized according to age and health status of the participants. At the finish line, there were also games for the kids and booths with information on a range of topics from health, safety, exercise, healthy eating, etc.
To make the races and the surrounding events as safe as possible for participants and volunteers, the Help Center staff worked with local officials, including the Ministry of Health, to develop COVID-19 safety protocols providing hand sanitizer, hand washing stations, wipes, and other cleaning supplies throughout the events to promote good hand hygiene for all.