Sohar Aluminium and Siraj Education Endowment Foundation signed a cooperation agreement to fund the purchase of electronic donation devices for the Foundation. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Academia-Industry Forum organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. This agreement reflects both parties’ commitment to supporting sustainable educational initiatives and promoting a culture of charitable endowments that are directed towards supporting the higher education sector in the Sultanate.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Her Excellency Prof. Rahma bint Ibrahim Al Mahrouqi, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. The agreement was signed by Jameel Mohammed Shakeel, Corporate Communications and Social Responsibility Manager at Sohar Aluminium and Eng. Mahmood bin Khalfan Al Hadidi, CEO of Siraj Education Endowment Foundation.

Based on this agreement, Sohar Aluminium will fund the purchase of electronic donation devices that will facilitate fundraising efforts to support students in higher education institutions who are financially disadvantaged or come from low-income families, enabling them to continue their academic studies.

The support will be administered through a structured mechanism that ensures transparency and optimal use of financial resources. Siraj, for its part, will be responsible for the operation, management, and regular maintenance of the electronic donation devices.

Commenting on this agreement, Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Kharusi, General Manager of Human Resources and Corporate Affairs at Sohar Aluminium, stated that the agreement is part of the company’s broader efforts to strengthen its partnerships and support the initiatives of various government institutions. He noted that supporting Siraj reflects the company’s belief in the importance of charitable endowments as enablers for growth towards building a knowledge-based society.

“Through this agreement, we aim to support the purchase of smart endowment donation devices that make it easier for individuals to contribute to the education sector, which in turn helps prevent financially disadvantaged students from missing the opportunity to complete their university education,” he added.

Al Kharusi emphasised that education is one of the key sectors targeted by Sohar Aluminium’s social responsibility strategy. The company funded several sustainable educational projects and initiatives across schools, universities, and colleges in various governorates of the Sultanate.

Eng. Mahmood bin Khalfan Al Hadidi, CEO of Siraj, commented, “We highly value this exceptional initiative by Sohar Aluminium, which reflects its commitment to supporting education and developing endowment assets in the Sultanate. This partnership represents a meaningful step towards achieving financial sustainability through innovative solutions for educational initiatives by leveraging modern technologies.”

It is worth noting that Siraj is a non-profit endowment foundation established in October 2019. Its mission is to support education in the Sultanate by funding underprivileged students, supporting higher education institutions, and developing educational resources through innovative and sustainable endowment investments. Therefore, Siraj launched several impactful initiatives to support students, including those from low-income families, students with disabilities, and gifted students. It also funded high-quality educational facilities, most notably the Aquaculture Laboratory at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences (UTAS)-Sur.