A Saudi woman presses clothes at Muhammad Al-Wabari’s dry cleaning store in Al-Mansourah, east of Hofouf.

HOFOUF — A group of young women here rolled up their sleeves and joined the dry cleaning industry, which had in the past remained restricted to men. The women started working at a dry cleaning store in Al-Mansourah, east of Al-Hofouf.

The store is considered to be the first dry cleaning and laundry store in the Eastern Province that provides washing, dry cleaning, ironing and folding services to both men and women.

The owner and supervisor of the store, Muhammad Al-Wabari, said the young women wash, iron, fold and arrange clothes. The women were trained to work in the industry via training programs that were created in coordination with the company that supplies laundry equipment, Al-Madinah daily said.

“Work is distributed equally among the young women. They get a good salary and a day off every week,” he said, while emphasizing the young women work in an environment that is in accordance with Islamic values.

As for customers’ response at the hiring of women, Al-Wabari said: “We got a lot of encouragement from members of society for this step in employing Saudi women in laundry stores. In the beginning when we set up the laundry store, we offered prizes and gifts so that people are encouraged to wash their clothes here, especially female customers.”

Um Ahmed, one of the employees at the store, said there is no harm in working in the laundry, especially since the women are providing a good service to society. “We are all proud to work and we welcome all customers and accept their feedback.”

Um Hassan, another employee, said a woman can come to the store with her clothes without feeling embarrassed as she will be dealing with female employees.

 
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