Ford teaching Saudi female drivers on International Women’s Day
250 female drivers trained during this week’s programmme
Ford Motor Company and Jeddah-based Effat University have hailed his week’s inaugural session of Ford Driving Skills for Life for Her which coincided with International Women’s Day on 8 March.
Ford Driving Skills for Life for Her is a special variation of Ford’s award-winning safe driving programme for teens and new drivers, Driving Skills for Life. The programme at Effat University was specially designed to accommodate Saudi female students embarking on their journey to acquire a driver’s licence. More than 250 female students participated in the programme.
Ford Driving Skills for Life for Her is the second initiative Ford has launched in Saudi Arabia aimed at empowering women and giving them the skills they need to embark on their journey with confidence. Last year, Ford Fund – the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company – debuted its Henry Ford Entrepreneurship Academy in the Middle East, also at Effat University, providing 50 Saudi female entrepreneurs with the tools and knowledge needed to sustain their businesses.
“Providing access to opportunities for people to reach their full potential is core to our mission and Ford’s goal of becoming the world’s most trusted mobility company,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Fund.
While visiting the Kingdom specifically to mark this momentous week, Vella added: “The fact that the programme takes place around International Women’s Day, a global day celebrating the social, economic and cultural achievements of women, is no coincidence. We are thrilled to be part of this historical milestone as we bring Ford Driving Skills for Life for Her to Saudi Arabia, to help young female drivers feel safe and confident behind the wheel for the first time, and we look forward to welcoming a new generation of women to the driver’s seat.”
“The wheels of change are constantly moving forward, and finally Saudi Arabia has caught up with the rest of the world with regard to women driving,” Dr Haifa Jamalallail, president of Effat University. “Statistics show that women are generally safer and more defensive drivers than men. At Effat University, we are determined that this becomes the case also here,” Jamalallail continued. “We want women to be behind the wheel, and so we are looking forward to working with all elements of society to improve the safety of all citizens on the road. The Ford Driving Skills for Life programme is a step in this direction.”
