Alwaleed Bin Talal to sponsor record-breaking awareness event

Alwaleed Philanthropies announced its partnership with 10KSA to promote holistic healthcare, education and awareness in an effort to stem impending health care crises surrounding manageable diseases, such as breast cancer.

The charity will sponsor a unique event, produced by 10KSA that will gather 10,000 women in Riyadh to break the Guinness World Record for the largest Human Awareness Ribbon.

Although Saudi Arabia has state-of-the-art medical facilities and a 100 percent government-funded global healthcare program for Saudi citizens, the country has one of the highest mortality rates in manageable diseases, such as breast cancer, due to a lack of awareness and understanding of prevention methods and treatments available. The partnership’s key goal is to raise awareness regarding holistic health as a way to empower the individual to take control of his or her own health.

Aligning with Alwaleed Philanthropies’ major focus areas in women’s empowerment and community development, this global partnership will focus on educating women as a way to educate the community and give them information to manage their own health, their family’s health and their community’s health.

“Nowhere is a woman’s empowerment more important or effective than when it is exercised on behalf of the health and well-being of herself and her family,” said Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, chairman of the Board of Trustees of Alwaleed Philanthropies.

Alwaleed Philanthropies’ partnership aims to nurture awareness and provide the education and tools to reverse the trend of high mortality from breast cancer and other manageable diseases.

“10KSA is at the forefront of the global movement in healthcare systems to transition from crisis care to preventative care. We believe that educating the women is the central factor in becoming a more healthy population in Saudi Arabia. If we educate a woman, we educate the community,” said Princess Reema Bint Bandar Alsaud, founder of Alf Khair and co-founder of 10KSA.

10KSA is championed by Alf Khair and Al Bidayah Center. Alf Khair, the social enterprise founded by Princess Reema, will launch a series of initiatives designed to educate, train and develop skills, incubate the next generation of entrepreneurs, and drive awareness and education of critical path issues that have a Saudi and a global impact as well.

Alwaleed Philanthropies supports and initiates projects in 95 countries, regardless of the gender, race or religion.

This article first appeared in the Saudi Gazette on Nov. 12, 2015