October, 2022 | Haggar Group
Sudan has witnessed its fair share of socio-economic hurdles, with high inflation rates it is undeniable there’s an ever-growing need for more income generating opportunities especially for marginalized members of society. Women have been held back by the on-going social norms and poor educational infrastructure leaving them struggling to empower themselves or attain opportunities for more economic independency.
Another marginalized group that has been victimized by the on-going socio-economic hurdles are People with Disabilities. With poorly equipped amenities and work environments and a passive attitude from society it has been a challenge for People with Disabilities to establish career paths for themselves in many fields, leaving them with little space to grow their skills and capacities or develop professional experience in their respective fields.
At Haggar Group we have sought to accept these challenges with open arms and create more opportunities for women and People with Disabilities by establishing the Haggar Inclusivity Programme, especially with our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 1; No Poverty and SDG 5 Gender Equality. We pride ourselves in being an equal opportunities’ employer ensuring all our Employed Persons and applicants are treated fairly and consistently without reference to their race, religion, ancestry, marital status, gender, age, nationality, ethnic origin or disability. Our inclusivity programme aims to create an environment free of any kind of favouritism and one that is supportive of all members of our community bearing in mind each of their unique needs.
The programme is founded on understanding the circumstances and lifestyle demands of both women and People with Disabilities, for an example women going through unique and binding circumstances such as child bearing or having little to no access to higher education and/ or training and experience.
The programme kicked off on October 2022, as it is divided into two stages between the two main targeted groups, with stage one being reserved for women. We initiated our efforts by publishing a list of more than 10 training opportunities in different fields; Engineering, Marketing, Quality Assurance and IT among others. We have opened two platforms for applications; an online form and through our HR email for ease of use.
The turn-out was outstanding as we received more than 16,000 applications on our online forms alone. We are happy the initiative has been received in such a positive light. The feedback has reflected how truly driven and passionate many Sudanese women are but that in return they have had an abundance of obstacles, a reality we are working to switch around.
The first batch of women trainees are expected to start their training at the beginning of 2023 and with such a success and support from women we are more than confident in taking the next step into the second stage of the programme to provide opportunities and more avenues for People with Disabilities at the beginning of 2023.