Wednesday 08 / October / 2025
Muscat: The Ministry of Social Development inaugurated today the building of protected productive workshops at the Al-Wafa Center for the Rehabilitation of Persons with Disabilities in Rustaq. The initiative targets more than 70 individuals with mild to moderate disabilities, aged between 14 and 45.
The opening of these workshops is part of the ministry’s ongoing efforts to empower and rehabilitate persons with disabilities and integrate them into society. Through vocational training and economic empowerment, the program aims to help participants establish their own businesses, enter the labor market, and enhance their role in the community. It also seeks to raise public awareness about the capabilities and potential of persons with disabilities.
The facility includes three specialized workshops: Paper Recycling Workshop, Food Processing Workshop, and Thermal Printing Workshop. Each was established in accordance with safety standards and production requirements, tailored to the skills and abilities of the participants.
The building was equipped with machinery and tools through joint funding from several companies under the Social Responsibility Committee of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals. Contributors include Petroleum Development Oman, Occidental Oman, Daleel Petroleum, OQ Exploration, BP Oman, and CC Energy Development highlighting a strong public private partnership.
Speaking on the occasion, Maimoona bint Salem Al-Mundhiriya, Director General of Social Development in South Al Batinah, stated:“The creation of these protected productive workshops reaffirms the Ministry’s commitment to empowering persons with disabilities and integrating them into the workforce. It marks a shift from care to empowerment, offering real job opportunities that ensure economic stability and active participation in development.”
She added that the workshops will help develop professional skills, open new horizons for creativity and productivity, and promote equal opportunities and improved quality of life through effective partnerships with the private sector.
