Amman, June 2017 – Building on their advocacy of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs that support youth and education, Bank al Etihad signed a five-year contract with the Queen Rania Foundation for Education and Development (QRF), agreeing to support the foundation's endeavors starting next year. The announcement was made during the signing ceremony that was held at the Bank's headquarters on Thursday 15 June, 2017, in the presence of Bank al Etihad’s CEO, Nadia Al Saeed, and QRF CEO, Haifa Dia Al-Attia. Under the agreement, Bank al Etihad will be granting its strategic support to three of QRF's main initiatives, including the Children's Museum Jordan (CMJ).
The Bank had recently renewed its partnership with the CMJ for the ninth consecutive year, supporting its ‘Celebrations’ program, which gives children in Jordan the opportunity to celebrate national occasions and holidays throughout the year. These occasions include Mother’s Day, Labor Day, Independence Day, Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha and Christmas. Moreover, the Bank will continue to back Al Aman Fund for the Future of Orphans by providing eight scholarships for those registered with the fund, providing them with the opportunity to pursue their higher education and secure their future, particularly girls who leave their care homes. Madrasati will also receive assistance in rehabilitating the infrastructure of a public school, to be chosen yearly, that requires urgent aid and resources to enhance its educational system.
“Our corporate social responsibility, which stems from the core of our identity, lies within our continual support for youth, education and creativity. Since we embarked on this path, we have not found more worthy or important projects than those of QRF, which plays a prominent role in instigating positive change in the education sector by generating opportunities for development,” said Al Saeed. “We are very proud of this undertaking, which will enable us to support these enterprises and their goals towards motivating youth, developing their skills and
ensuring a bright future for generations to come.”
In turn, Al-Attia praised this agreement, noting, “We are grateful that Bank al Etihad decided to join our list of strategic supporters, for we share similar goals in finding creative solutions and taking on new initiatives that will leave a visible mark on the educational development of Jordan and the Arab World. We understand that such ambitious goals can only be achieved through strategic partnerships with the private sector, especially in light of the modern challenges facing the education sector.”
QRF was launched by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah in 2013 to become the premier resource on educational issues in Jordan and around the Arab World, and to act as an incubator for new ideas and initiatives that have notable impacts on educational outputs. In the firm belief that education is the foundation of economic, political and social development, QRF’s mandate has focused on identifying gaps and opportunities for developing new education programs, with the aim of influencing policy and creating educational change on the ground.