OMAN — broadcast
20260806 190000 UTC
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[00:00:00] Understanding and Islamic
[00:00:03] actually has a job but lost prepared for these challenges and ideas before expresses hope for the resumption of talks between
[00:00:07] shows that we are realistic, this you? First, I started this the two sides. A round of talks in Rome between Lebanon and Israel ends
[00:00:12] picture on my Instagram without tangible progress amidst continued Israeli escalation in southern
[00:00:16] Lebanon.
[00:00:19] Israeli occupation forces carry out a campaign of arrests
[00:00:23] and raids in the West Bank, injuring a number of
[00:00:26] Palestinians during the storming of Qalandia refugee camp.
[00:00:35] These are the greetings of the news center team. In God's hands.
[00:00:39] to get that fruit in I started embroidery, I started
[00:00:55] Therefore, this in the foundation year
[00:00:56] we don't talk about all this
[00:01:01] to ask whether this
[00:01:18] years old.
[00:01:20] But many people and students with us in
[00:01:36] professions included in this
[00:01:40] In recent years, freelancing has become a strong
[00:01:44] benefit from option for Omani youth.
[00:01:47] Digital platforms, small
[00:01:51] schools. I mean, there are projects, ideas that turn into income, away from the traditional concept
[00:01:58] school. So if we had, for example, and social media has become, as they of a job. But the real question that arises is whether freelancing is really a path
[00:02:01] to independence or is it a temporary solution
[00:02:06] this depends on two things: first, it depends on due to not getting a job? And why are some young people still hesitant?
[00:02:10] Is it the fear of instability,
[00:02:12] has had a significant impact or is it society's view and the fear of this
[00:02:14] view, or is it also
[00:02:16] unfortunately, this the issue of support, in that there is no real support
[00:02:22] competition for for independent projects? Today,
[00:02:22] the real project in in Youth Talk, we raise this issue with you and try
[00:02:25] to answer some questions
[00:02:27] job for me in in this regard and learn about the fears
[00:02:30] of young people. Freelance work, all of this in Youth Talk.
[00:02:37] lose my competitiveness, for example, for
[00:02:51] Juhaina, as she pursues start on this Freelancing, Haitham, it's very clear
[00:02:54] I get free time, of course, I will work on it's a smooth and very comfortable concept. You are free
[00:02:57] in your work, responsible for
[00:03:00] your timing, responsible for choosing your projects, responsible
[00:03:04] work, as a start, it needs to enter for managing your income. incentives we have today in And the best thing about freelancing
[00:03:08] is that it's not tied to any contract. Yes, Tahia, and freelancing
[00:03:12] and asked any young person is always like this. The person is his own boss. Indeed, and
[00:03:16] away from any job pressures, whether for government jobs or private
[00:03:20] sector jobs. Freelance work
[00:03:22] since I was in has a certain privacy, and the person knows
[00:03:25] how to balance and prioritize and how to start his day and how to end his day
[00:03:28] and how to delve into the attendance and
[00:03:32] hand embroidery, and anyone who starts departure. This point, really,
[00:03:34] I mean, freelancing certainly has advantages, and in return,
[00:03:38] there may also be some challenges. And there is
[00:03:40] great support from the government, unlimited
[00:03:44] support for this type of work, freelance work. Yes, and this
[00:03:48] is what we will learn about, God willing, in this episode.
[00:03:51] for independent workers, so that they can apply for
[00:03:51] this source or this Dear viewers, we will learn
[00:03:52] As a designer, as a specialist in about some aspects related to freelancing or independent work, and we will also learn
[00:03:56] about the difficulties faced
[00:03:58] If you didn't work, there's no money. I mean, in by independent workers. Today, is the path strewn
[00:04:01] with roses for them, or are there certain difficulties they face?
[00:04:05] And did they originally choose
[00:04:07] It is more correct from school and then from faith that the beginning from
[00:04:07] people start, but they do not this path and this direction
[00:04:09] succeed in the out of a desire for independent work, or because
[00:04:11] there are no jobs, for example, government jobs or private sector jobs?
[00:04:15] Indeed, Haitham, and the examples
[00:04:19] is also great support not prepared before So, this are here with us on the table of the Youth Talk program. We welcome with us, of course,
[00:04:23] an example of one of the Omani young women who also chose
[00:04:26] freelancing, Juhaina
[00:04:28] of nations and the inexhaustible Bint Yahya Al Abri,
[00:04:31] So, on the contrary, I received great support from the founder of the Tara project. Welcome. Welcome, welcome.
[00:04:34] Hello,
[00:04:37] and this time, the discussion is with and welcome also Omani youth really pursue to Shaikha Bint Hareb Al Saidi,
[00:04:39] academic and founder and director of Qurix
[00:04:43] Company, this company that deals with digital
[00:04:48] supervisor of the freelance work system in and technical solutions. Welcome.
[00:04:49] a set of Welcome, and thank you for the invitation, and I am very happy
[00:04:51] money, and starting tomorrow, you'll be in today to be part of the Youth Talk program. God
[00:04:55] bless you all. So, if we start
[00:04:57] realistic, so I show directly with the independent worker,
[00:05:00] let's say, who started her journey with independent
[00:05:04] or freelance work, what
[00:05:06] the supervisor of the freelance work system made you choose this direction and this path? Is it a desire
[00:05:11] work pressure, there are many for independence in work, or because, simply, you didn't find
[00:05:14] a job that suits
[00:05:17] project, the Tara project, about seven years ago.
[00:05:21] It's almost eight years now. So, I started it
[00:05:24] as a hobby, hand embroidery. Tara is a project that offers
[00:05:27] products and workshops in hand embroidery. So, I first
[00:05:31] started doing hand embroidery as a hobby, then people
[00:05:34] started seeing my work and so on, so they started asking for Tara's
[00:05:37] work. So, I opened the Tara project. So, in the beginning, it was
[00:05:41] a hobby, and then it became a project. But I
[00:05:44] previously wanted to open a project, but I didn't know exactly
[00:05:48] what I wanted to open, but once
[00:05:52] the project. Excellent, so we understand that it was Juhaina's
[00:05:55] desire, by chance, or because she
[00:05:58] didn't get a job? No, no, because I started, even,
[00:06:04] of college, so the issue of a job
[00:06:07] wasn't yet there. Okay, Professor Sheikha, I mean, there
[00:06:11] are many concepts close to the concept of freelancing, such as
[00:06:15] entrepreneurship. If we want to talk about the concept
[00:06:18] of freelancing in the Omani context, what is the difference
[00:06:22] between it and entrepreneurship?
[00:06:25] First, let's say that freelancing
[00:06:29] in the Omani market has become a more realistic
[00:06:32] option for young people,
[00:06:36] especially after the development of digital platforms
[00:06:39] and the awareness of Omani youth that having a certain
[00:06:42] skill they possess
[00:06:45] can make this skill
[00:06:49] a source of income for them. If we want to differentiate
[00:06:53] between entrepreneurship and freelancing, freelancing
[00:06:56] is when a person finds a certain
[00:06:59] skill, and through this certain skill,
[00:07:03] they can create a source of income. But if we talk about entrepreneurship,
[00:07:06] we are talking about a completely separate
[00:07:09] concept. Today, you are building a project
[00:07:13] or a company that is built on a decentralized
[00:07:17] system, meaning that my project or
[00:07:20] company runs even if I am not at the workplace.
[00:07:23] Meaning, as a company manager, I don't have to be present
[00:07:27] at the company every morning for the company's affairs to run. So this
[00:07:30] falls under entrepreneurship.
[00:07:33] Excellent. So, Juhaina,
[00:07:36] you chose freelancing, and now you also have your own
[00:07:39] project, which is the Tara project.
[00:07:43] And it's a word from our local
[00:07:46] dialects, a clever choice. I commend you for it. Thank
[00:07:49] you. What was the biggest shock you faced just
[00:07:53] by entering the work? The shocks, Tahia, I mean, why
[00:07:57] don't we see the shocks? We only applaud at the end
[00:08:00] of the journey. So I want to know
[00:08:04] this freelance work in Tara, what was the biggest
[00:08:07] challenge you faced? A social shock, perhaps, a shock from
[00:08:11] your close ones. They didn't accept your presence in freelance work, and let's
[00:08:15] be honest, it's a positive thing after a positive
[00:08:18] surprise. I mean, we always
[00:08:21] sanctify the traditional job, either in government or in the private sector. Let's just keep it at that.
[00:08:25] She will answer. Yes, indeed. At a time
[00:08:29] when society doesn't appreciate the job, but as Juhaina,
[00:08:34] school, I wanted to have my own project. So I aspired
[00:08:38] to this before. But the first thing I faced when I started
[00:08:41] the project, because it's
[00:08:44] artistic work or something artistic like that faces a problem, for example,
[00:08:48] not finding the right tools, especially since I started embroidery seven years ago,
[00:08:52] as I told you. So embroidery tools were not
[00:08:55] available. So I wanted to know where the places are, where the things
[00:08:58] I would find are, and another thing, besides the tools, I loved
[00:09:02] to be unique in my work. So I wanted the work to be unique. The more
[00:09:06] unique the work was, the more tools it needed, the more cost
[00:09:09] it needed. So these are the things that
[00:09:14] you feel people accepted, especially those around you. I mean,
[00:09:17] did they accept that you would be in freelance work, or
[00:09:20] did you face, for example, let's say, a discouraging
[00:09:23] point of view that discouraged you from continuing?
[00:09:26] Quite the opposite. My family, first of all, was my supporter.
[00:09:30] They supported me financially and morally,
[00:09:34] honestly. So, from society itself, they have an awareness
[00:09:38] about freelance projects.
[00:09:43] my family and from acquaintances. I can
[00:09:46] comment on Juhaina's conversation. We do not
[00:09:49] encounter shocks in freelance work if the picture is complete
[00:09:53] before us. I mean, it's not
[00:09:55] like we only see one side of the picture, that
[00:09:59] freelance work is a rosy life, luxury, and you have
[00:10:04] freelance work, traveling, and getting the best car and the most beautiful
[00:10:08] house. And this is what they promote on social media.
[00:10:11] Indeed, so the picture here is incomplete, and unfortunately, if
[00:10:15] this picture is incomplete, as soon as you enter freelance work, you get
[00:10:18] a shock. There are challenges, there is
[00:10:23] things. If you were
[00:10:27] entering the freelance world, you wouldn't feel
[00:10:31] any shocks at all. I mean, you would be psychologically accepting
[00:10:34] or prepared for the first stage, and it might even be a failed
[00:10:38] stage that doesn't culminate
[00:10:41] in success. But when you are psychologically ready and have a complete
[00:10:45] understanding, you will be able to find solutions to these challenges
[00:10:49] and overcome them. I mean, we always say that freelance work
[00:10:52] is like land where you plant seeds, and in the end, it bears
[00:10:55] fruit. But don't expect to plant today and get fruit tomorrow.
[00:10:59] I mean, you have to be, as we say in general, patient
[00:11:04] the end. I just want to ask Tahia, I mean,
[00:11:08] with the qualities that Shaikha just mentioned,
[00:11:11] and in other circumstances, would you have been a freelance
[00:11:15] worker, pursuing freelance work, or would you prefer
[00:11:18] a traditional job? Because this question is very crucial and important, you know.
[00:11:22] I think if I hadn't had the opportunity for an independent
[00:11:25] job in the government or private sector, I would
[00:11:29] have been in freelance work as a second option, not
[00:11:33] a priority. Honestly,
[00:11:36] this idea probably wasn't there at the beginning
[00:11:40] of my career, but I commend Juhaina, of course, and we also
[00:11:44] commend Shaikha. Today, for you to
[00:11:47] move and establish your own company, this is also
[00:11:50] an important issue, and we can discuss today the challenges faced by small
[00:11:54] and medium-sized companies in the Sultanate of Oman. But let's
[00:11:57] talk now about independent work,
[00:12:00] I mean, from the perspective of young people, for example, have
[00:12:04] social media, which is now the outlet for young people
[00:12:08] and the primary source of education, I think it has become the first now,
[00:12:11] yes, right? I don't think anyone today relies
[00:12:15] 100% on books as the primary source of education, because time
[00:12:18] has become limited,
[00:12:20] say, in this phone in your pocket, I can educate
[00:12:24] myself in it at any time, and so on. Yes, so has social media today contributed
[00:12:27] positively or negatively
[00:12:31] to changing the concept of independent work? Frankly,
[00:12:33] in general, social media
[00:12:37] on young people, but
[00:12:41] impact was not
[00:12:45] in the right way. Let's say it always
[00:12:48] highlighted the ideal side. So if we go to
[00:12:51] social media, we will always see the ideal life,
[00:12:55] whether at the family level or friends or work.
[00:12:58] I mean, when you just sit at home and open social
[00:13:02] media, you see the whole world is ideal in all aspects,
[00:13:05] ideal, they are all successful, they are all successful, and life
[00:13:08] is beautiful, and family relationships are beautiful, and everything,
[00:13:11] to the extent that, I mean, unaware young people started
[00:13:15] doubting themselves. Is this idealism really
[00:13:18] present? I mean, is the fault in me, or is the problem with me
[00:13:22] as a person? But, I mean, in reality,
[00:13:25] social media did not clarify the whole
[00:13:29] idea. There is a side that no one probably
[00:13:32] told you about. I mean, for example, if we went down the street today
[00:13:37] to give me one word that represents
[00:13:40] freelance work, what words would they say? Money,
[00:13:44] independence, success, independence,
[00:13:46] car, no fingerprint, I mean, all
[00:13:49] of them are concepts on the positive
[00:13:53] side. Well, did anyone tell you that there
[00:13:56] is instability, no fixed salary, no fixed
[00:14:00] income? Can you live with this? There are
[00:14:04] economic crises, there are crises, you have pressures, you have things.
[00:14:07] Did you get this idea that if you went through a circumstance or a health
[00:14:11] or social family emergency or otherwise, your work would stop,
[00:14:16] income would stop, and you are the only one working? I mean, if you want money,
[00:14:19] you have to go down and work.
[00:14:23] the end, when this picture is not complete,
[00:14:26] unfortunately, and perhaps we noticed in
[00:14:29] projects that young
[00:14:34] end. They do not complete. They say to you, "Well, I started, but
[00:14:38] I felt that I couldn't complete." Why didn't you complete? Because you were
[00:14:43] entering because everything on social media gave
[00:14:46] you the positive side, so you couldn't reach or it came
[00:14:50] as an imitation, indeed, an imitation
[00:14:53] of others' ideas. Indeed, all of this affects
[00:14:57] social media, it affected all aspects, including
[00:15:01] freelancing. Yes, okay, Juhaina, you are now
[00:15:04] on social media. How should someone in freelance
[00:15:07] work market themselves, I mean, away
[00:15:10] from the exaggeration that Professor Sheikha referred to? How
[00:15:13] can I be realistic and logical and convey a correct
[00:15:17] message? I also tried in my project Tara to be very
[00:15:22] this, for example, embroidery requires it, and it requires
[00:15:26] time, it requires patience. So I tried in my project to
[00:15:29] show this, that it needs time. I tried to be
[00:15:32] more realistic, representing our Omani environment. I always
[00:15:36] photograph embroidery at home
[00:15:38] with us, for example, one of my workshops I did in my
[00:15:42] grandfather's farm. So, I mean, this
[00:15:45] project is real in Oman, so I showed this
[00:15:49] account, and another thing I also showed on LinkedIn, I have a LinkedIn
[00:15:53] account, so that institutions and individuals can see our real work
[00:15:56] and how we can present it. Excellent,
[00:16:00] the best people to express the opinions of young people
[00:16:03] and the best people to know the reality of young people are the Omani youth themselves. So let's go
[00:16:07] to this survey by colleague Yazid Al-Balushi and learn about the reality
[00:16:10] of independent work from a youth perspective.
[00:16:26] Hello everyone, today we will talk about a topic that has become very
[00:16:30] present among Omani youth, which is the labor
[00:16:33] market, and what is known as entrepreneurship. Today, we are here
[00:16:38] topic and this field have a great future for young
[00:16:42] people, or is it just an option imposed by the labor market? Let's
[00:16:45] hear. Many people enter freelance work to
[00:16:49] improve their financial situation, meaning they are in a stable job and everything, but
[00:16:53] they enter freelance work to improve their financial situation.
[00:16:58] the university entered freelance work and it actually became a primary
[00:17:01] income for them and they gave up jobs. So let's assume that
[00:17:05] a person specialized in accounting or finance. They have skills related to
[00:17:08] managing accounts or whatever, they can provide them as a service and get paid for it.
[00:17:12] Freelance work can bring you a stable
[00:17:16] income, but it depends on the person themselves. But
[00:17:19] I feel the idea that it's a temporary solution is no longer
[00:17:23] present. And I feel that going into freelance work is another
[00:17:27] solution or an alternative solution to the primary
[00:17:30] job, a secondary option in case we cannot get a job in the future, God
[00:17:34] forbid. For me, freelance work is considered a stable
[00:17:38] job, but it depends on the continuity of work. Honestly,
[00:17:43] the stable job, how much the salary is in it, and how its future
[00:17:47] is, meaning in the future, can I
[00:17:50] get, as they say, big promotions and salary increases or not? I will initially move towards
[00:17:54] freelance work, and this is what actually happens. After that,
[00:17:57] through freelance work, I build
[00:18:00] the market in the field of entrepreneurship. If there is a suitable
[00:18:05] the field of specialization that I am studying,
[00:18:08] I study software engineering, so I will move
[00:18:11] to a job first. After that, if
[00:18:15] I find freelance work in a perfect
[00:18:18] skill that I master completely, I will return
[00:18:21] to
[00:18:23] freelance work, as there is a stable income. This can, I mean,
[00:18:27] give me security, but any time
[00:18:32] freelance work. The job is, as you say, it builds
[00:18:35] my foundation, the foundation of the money
[00:18:38] for the project or freelance
[00:18:42] the government sector because it has a fixed salary. After
[00:18:45] that, he can move to the private sector or freelance work. He is not
[00:18:49] forced, but it is only skills. In this era,
[00:18:53] from my point of view, one must have more than one source of income. I think
[00:18:57] that if he starts the basic beginning or the correct beginning in this work,
[00:19:01] he will succeed and be able to get it, or that, for example, it is possible
[00:19:04] to change the prevailing term in our society. My advice to every
[00:19:08] young person is to first choose the right option for them and they must
[00:19:12] develop themselves and learn,
[00:19:14] and then choose the right path. It is that I sell
[00:19:18] a skill I have, but entrepreneurship
[00:19:21] is that I build a complete system, I build a complete
[00:19:24] project that runs itself completely, it does not depend on 100% of my time.
[00:19:30] the financial aspect, I provide these services to people, and they are paid
[00:19:34] for. As for entrepreneurship, the difference is that I employ
[00:19:37] all the skills I had previously in building a real project, a complete
[00:19:41] team that can create a complete system and serve
[00:19:44] people in it. You work on your project yourself and you are
[00:19:48] solely responsible for it. While entrepreneurship starts from an idea
[00:19:51] and you can have a team
[00:19:54] and work on the idea until you
[00:19:55] develop it.
[00:20:02] Indeed, youth are the wealth
[00:20:06] resource. We followed these opinions from Omani youth,
[00:20:09] and the discussion continues in Youth Talk. Indeed, Haitham,
[00:20:14] the relevant authorities supporting Omani youth in
[00:20:18] the freelance sector. Welcome with us, Mr. Omar
[00:20:21] bin Abdulaziz Al Maamari,
[00:20:25] the National Employment Program. Welcome all.
[00:20:29] And thank you very much for the invitation. Thank you, Professor Omar. Today,
[00:20:32] in fact, this episode cannot be completed with our discussion
[00:20:36] about freelance work without the presence of a person
[00:20:39] representing the freelance work system. Of course,
[00:20:43] in the National Employment Program, Professor Omar, can,
[00:20:47] I mean, provide us with many answers to questions.
[00:20:51] And it would be great if we start with the reality of the support
[00:20:54] provided to independent workers in the Sultanate of Oman.
[00:20:58] Is there really support, and does this support reach those who deserve it?
[00:21:01] The National Employment Program has worked
[00:21:04] on an integrated package to support the freelance work system.
[00:21:07] It started in early 2023 and was
[00:21:11] blessed by His Majesty the Sultan. This package
[00:21:14] consists of a group of main
[00:21:17] components. Let's explain it in this way: it has a legal basis,
[00:21:21] it has a set of incentives, and also it has
[00:21:24] markets. The legal basis for the freelance work system was
[00:21:28] the establishment of a commercial register for
[00:21:30] freelance work issued by the Ministry
[00:21:34] of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion. This commercial
[00:21:37] register provides legitimacy to the independent worker to practice
[00:21:41] their work in the local market.
[00:21:45] register is the legal tool and also
[00:21:49] the protection for the independent
[00:21:51] worker
[00:21:54] in the event of providing these services. This commercial register,
[00:21:57] of course, is a very simple license, so simple that we can even call it a commercial license sometimes.
[00:22:00] It is issued through the ministry, it is free
[00:22:03] of charge, and it has two main conditions: Omani and over 18
[00:22:08] This commercial register, of course,
[00:22:12] previously contained commercial activities, but during the past three months,
[00:22:16] we made a qualitative leap in the system and linked the system
[00:22:19] to professions instead of commercial activities. Previously, we had 70
[00:22:22] commercial activities. Today, we have more than 2,000
[00:22:26] commercial register. Therefore, we expanded
[00:22:28] the segment of independent workers who can
[00:22:34] this commercial register. Of course, this is the legal basis, and we also have
[00:22:38] a set of incentives that were built on this basis. The first
[00:22:41] of them is the Social Protection Fund. Today, all independent workers are able
[00:22:44] to contribute to the Social Protection Fund and thus benefit from
[00:22:48] all the features available in the Fund, retirement
[00:22:52] pension, protection against death and disability, God
[00:22:56] forbid, and so on. Also, registration
[00:22:58] in the Riyada card, affiliated
[00:23:02] with the Public Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises, and also benefiting
[00:23:05] from all the features available in the card.
[00:23:08] Today, we have a financing product through the Oman Development Bank
[00:23:12] specifically for freelance work, which was officially announced in
[00:23:15] January last year.
[00:23:18] This financing product reaches
[00:23:22] 15,000 Omani riyals without interest. Of course, it will
[00:23:25] be a great incentive and support for independent
[00:23:29] workers, so that if a person wants to start their work
[00:23:33] or freelance work, they can benefit from this loan and can
[00:23:36] start or
[00:23:39] path. Also, we have tax
[00:23:43] exemptions of up to more than 150,000 Omani riyals from the annual
[00:23:47] income of the person.
[00:23:50] This is almost most or the most important
[00:23:53] the system. Also, we have the last point or
[00:23:57] the last part of the system, which is the markets. Today, the independent
[00:24:00] worker can compete
[00:24:04] for government purchases and contracts
[00:24:07] offered through the Isnad platform or directly through government
[00:24:10] institutions. And in the event of a share of the percentage
[00:24:14] of government projects and contracts, registration was opened
[00:24:17] for freelancers,
[00:24:20] for independents. Also, for the energy sector,
[00:24:23] they have a platform called GCRS, which is responsible for offering projects
[00:24:27] and opportunities. Also, registration was opened in it. And the last
[00:24:31] point, please allow me, is the companies that
[00:24:34] are affiliated with the Investment Authority also opened
[00:24:37] competition and operational registration
[00:24:41] the available jobs, which we will talk about gradually, God willing. Indeed, Haitham,
[00:24:45] I mean, Haitham, if you notice from Professor Omar's talk, there are programs,
[00:24:48] there are programs and great support for freelancers,
[00:24:51] and it appears from the figures that there is increasing
[00:24:54] demand for this culture. I think it has
[00:24:58] become a culture. So, Professor Shaikha, I mean, through
[00:25:01] Professor Omar's talk and the Omani youth's increasing interest
[00:25:05] in the concept of freelance work, and there
[00:25:09] from the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan
[00:25:13] Haitham bin Tariq, may God protect him, through your interaction with young
[00:25:16] people and these, I mean,
[00:25:20] workers in freelance work, do
[00:25:24] this path out of a desire for independence, or
[00:25:27] because they haven't found jobs? Well, let's be honest.
[00:25:30] We cannot say that there is only one
[00:25:33] reason why young people resort to
[00:25:36] freelance work. We have
[00:25:39] reasons, as you mentioned. For example, a person
[00:25:42] who has a talent and wants
[00:25:45] to, I mean, invest in this talent
[00:25:48] and through it, earn an income.
[00:25:52] It is possible that the person has indeed not found
[00:25:55] a job, meaning they have not found a job that suits
[00:25:59] their capabilities, so they resort to freelance work.
[00:26:03] And it is possible that the person
[00:26:06] this job for any reason due to
[00:26:09] the circumstances that are happening, they lost their job,
[00:26:13] so they resort to freelance work. So if we were to enumerate these reasons,
[00:26:16] they would be different based
[00:26:19] on the person's circumstances
[00:26:21] and the story they went through in the end.
[00:26:25] But we always say the same thing,
[00:26:28] I mean, it doesn't matter the path they chose, why
[00:26:32] they chose this path. What matters is what will happen
[00:26:36] after they chose this path. You entered freelance work, are you prepared,
[00:26:40] are you psychologically prepared, do you know?
[00:26:43] Frankly, I benefited from Professor Omar's words that there
[00:26:47] are things that I, in this field, perhaps did not know about. Today, this
[00:26:50] point, this pivotal point today, and let me, I mean, pass
[00:26:54] the word also if
[00:26:58] amount of programs that Professor Omar mentioned, Juhaina,
[00:27:02] so today, what limits the access of information,
[00:27:06] the access of these programs to those who deserve them, to the people who can
[00:27:09] really benefit from them, as you are an independent work owner? I think that perhaps
[00:27:13] many of the things that Professor Omar said you are hearing for the first time. What
[00:27:16] causes this gap and this void?
[00:27:19] I mean, I didn't find,
[00:27:22] for example, for me, I didn't see, for example, social
[00:27:26] media or anyone telling us about these programs. On the contrary, we would
[00:27:29] benefit from them at the right time.
[00:27:33] But maybe if there was more awareness, for example,
[00:27:36] telling us, for example, in colleges, for example, telling us these
[00:27:39] things, since I am a person who started
[00:27:41] actually in a period while I was in college,
[00:27:45] it would have been good to know these things more and educate
[00:27:48] ourselves more about them, not just in the university period and during studies, but even in
[00:27:53] people, for example, I wanted to be a project owner before
[00:27:57] entering college. I was, for example, in
[00:28:00] educated ourselves about this from before, from the school period,
[00:28:03] in, for example, a specific subject, they could tell us these things in it,
[00:28:07] we would have benefited more. We,
[00:28:10] I mean, and enter stage by stage, we will benefit more
[00:28:14] and more. I have a comment. If you allow me, after
[00:28:18] Juhayna, a Professor Omar touched upon
[00:28:22] axes, meaning for example
[00:28:24] procurements, it is possible for the freelancer
[00:28:27] to, I mean, we feel this
[00:28:31] as fears with young people. They are ignorant of this information.
[00:28:34] I tell you, by God, I do not resort to this field because I will
[00:28:39] procurements, or the purchasing department will not be with me
[00:28:43] like this, or like that. So, but Professor Omar, I mean, clarified these
[00:28:46] things in a way, and perhaps here
[00:28:49] we find a gap between
[00:28:52] Omani youth and what you offer,
[00:28:55] meaning from beautiful
[00:28:58] initiatives, from excellent things. So, we have a gap that we can
[00:29:02] find a solution for, or clarify the picture so that the picture
[00:29:05] is complete before us and we know how to choose the right
[00:29:08] path. You have, Professor Omar, in fact,
[00:29:12] the media aspect, as the sisters mentioned, is a very
[00:29:15] important aspect indeed. Perhaps the message may not have reached
[00:29:19] everyone in the way we aspired to.
[00:29:22] We have in the program a platform for freelancing through
[00:29:26] a platform called Masirah. It is an account on social media platforms. I
[00:29:30] don't know if you have heard about it or not. We have indeed heard about it. If
[00:29:33] you have heard this, it is a positive thing. We promote the entire freelancing
[00:29:36] system through this platform. We
[00:29:40] may need higher coordination with other government agencies
[00:29:43] so that we align ideas and align the situation
[00:29:47] and thus the information reaches a larger
[00:29:50] segment of society. As for universities and colleges, indeed, in
[00:29:54] 2026, one of our main goals in the media aspect
[00:29:57] is to focus on the media aspects
[00:30:01] in universities and government colleges because we have full
[00:30:06] university is not from university.
[00:30:09] university, and thus the person enters the labor market and is already
[00:30:13] prepared, and the path is available to him, and he can
[00:30:17] take it. coordination
[00:30:21] we started with other government agencies, and God willing, during
[00:30:24] the coming period, there will be more intensive media efforts, God willing.
[00:30:27] Also, Professor Omar, excuse me,
[00:30:31] we consider that young people now have
[00:30:34] different ways of addressing them or receiving information.
[00:30:38] For example, one day someone tells you, "I only know through
[00:30:42] social media." Another tells you, "No, you have to give me a lecture
[00:30:45] to understand," or a seminar or a workshop. The issue, I mean,
[00:30:49] I think is a subject of discussion in many government institutions today,
[00:30:53] that you said young people use social media. We
[00:30:56] created accounts, we created special pages.