Sunday, December 11, 2011
Almoayed Group - Winner of Bahrain Marathon 2011 Relay - IT & Telco segment
Marathon effort for charity
By NOOR TOORANI , Posted on » Saturday, December 10, 2011
www.gulf-daily-news.com
MORE THAN 2,000 athletes raced to raise funds for local charities yesterday during one of Bahrain's biggest annual sporting events. The Media Authority Affairs team were the overall champions yesterday in the 31st annual Bahrain Roundtable Marathon Relay.
The event is expected to raise over BD15,000, organisers predicted at the end of the event.
Runners started and finished the relay at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), Sakhir, in support of local charities.
Bahrain Athletics Association (BAA) chairman Shaikh Talal bin Mohammed Al Khalifa ran the first leg.
A total of 141 teams ran the 48km race in 16 legs of approximately 3km.
Participants were divided into schools and colleges, under-18s, mixed, men and women's teams, information technology and communications, hotels and restaurants, financial institutions, sports and social clubs, airlines and construction companies.
The route took runners through different terrain as they set out from the BIC to Zallaq Highway, towards the Royal Golf Club, Riffa, behind Askar, behind Sakhir and towards the new airfield before returning to the main road to the finish line at the BIC.
This year's event was sponsored by Chevron, Dilmunia, BNP Paribas, HSBC, Arwa water, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Budget, the BIC, Bahrain Athletics Association, General Organisation for Youth and Sports and Bahrain Marshals Club.
No particular charity has been selected for donation this year and the organising committee is open to approaches from organisations.
"Our point of view this year is that any charitable organisation can approach us and after reviewing the proposals we will distribute the money accordingly, since there are so many charities in Bahrain," said organising committee chairman Theunis Strydom.
The organising committee is made up of 16 active members of the Bahrain Round Table organisation.
Assistance at the event was provided by volunteers, including those from Bahrain Marshals Club and St Christopher's Senior School sixth form students.
"On behalf of the Bahrain Round Table I want to thank all our sponsors, supporters, runners and volunteers, as the success of this year's event is thanks to them," said Mr Strydom.
"It was an incredible turnout and I am extremely happy about the event, which just proves that the Bahrain marathon relay is a wonderful fun day out where people from all walks of life meet and help raise funds for the needy."
The marathon relay is the biggest charitable event organised by the Bahrain Round Table.
Through sponsorships and entrance fees, last year's event raised around BD18,000, with 175 teams taking part.
Other winners:
Open ladies category: Bahrain Road Runners Ladies
School/under 18: Naseem International School A
Second school/college: St Christopher's Teachers A
Bahrain sport/social clubs: Bahrain Road Runners A
Hotels: Gulf Hotel
Airlines: S I A E C Flyers
Financial institutions: Gulf International Bank
Construction teams: Koheeji
Sponsors' trophy winner: Arwa
IT and communications: Almoayed Group
Most improved team: Bahrain Hash House Harriers
Hash House Harriers: Bahrain Black Hash
By NOOR TOORANI , Posted on » Saturday, December 10, 2011
www.gulf-daily-news.com
MORE THAN 2,000 athletes raced to raise funds for local charities yesterday during one of Bahrain's biggest annual sporting events. The Media Authority Affairs team were the overall champions yesterday in the 31st annual Bahrain Roundtable Marathon Relay.
The event is expected to raise over BD15,000, organisers predicted at the end of the event.
Runners started and finished the relay at the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), Sakhir, in support of local charities.
Bahrain Athletics Association (BAA) chairman Shaikh Talal bin Mohammed Al Khalifa ran the first leg.
A total of 141 teams ran the 48km race in 16 legs of approximately 3km.
Participants were divided into schools and colleges, under-18s, mixed, men and women's teams, information technology and communications, hotels and restaurants, financial institutions, sports and social clubs, airlines and construction companies.
The route took runners through different terrain as they set out from the BIC to Zallaq Highway, towards the Royal Golf Club, Riffa, behind Askar, behind Sakhir and towards the new airfield before returning to the main road to the finish line at the BIC.
This year's event was sponsored by Chevron, Dilmunia, BNP Paribas, HSBC, Arwa water, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Budget, the BIC, Bahrain Athletics Association, General Organisation for Youth and Sports and Bahrain Marshals Club.
No particular charity has been selected for donation this year and the organising committee is open to approaches from organisations.
"Our point of view this year is that any charitable organisation can approach us and after reviewing the proposals we will distribute the money accordingly, since there are so many charities in Bahrain," said organising committee chairman Theunis Strydom.
The organising committee is made up of 16 active members of the Bahrain Round Table organisation.
Assistance at the event was provided by volunteers, including those from Bahrain Marshals Club and St Christopher's Senior School sixth form students.
"On behalf of the Bahrain Round Table I want to thank all our sponsors, supporters, runners and volunteers, as the success of this year's event is thanks to them," said Mr Strydom.
"It was an incredible turnout and I am extremely happy about the event, which just proves that the Bahrain marathon relay is a wonderful fun day out where people from all walks of life meet and help raise funds for the needy."
The marathon relay is the biggest charitable event organised by the Bahrain Round Table.
Through sponsorships and entrance fees, last year's event raised around BD18,000, with 175 teams taking part.
Other winners:
Open ladies category: Bahrain Road Runners Ladies
School/under 18: Naseem International School A
Second school/college: St Christopher's Teachers A
Bahrain sport/social clubs: Bahrain Road Runners A
Hotels: Gulf Hotel
Airlines: S I A E C Flyers
Financial institutions: Gulf International Bank
Construction teams: Koheeji
Sponsors' trophy winner: Arwa
IT and communications: Almoayed Group
Most improved team: Bahrain Hash House Harriers
Hash House Harriers: Bahrain Black Hash
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Winners
From Left to right: Mr. Nabeel Almoayed, Mr. Pawan Mehta, Dr. Nawaf Almoayed and Mr. Ahmed Almoayed
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
2011 Winner of the "Best ICT Solutions Provider" award - Its Almoayed Group again!
Our Director Dr. Nawaf Almoayed receiving the award from the Deputy Prime Minister
2009 Winner for the "Best ICT Solutions Provider" - Almoayed Group WLL
Our Chairman Mr. Nabeel Almoayed receiving the award from the Deputy Prime Minister
Best ICT Solutions Provider Award
Best ICT Solutions Provider Award
Overview
This award recognizes the ICT vendor that has successfully supported Bahrain government initiatives in Information Technology by providing products, solutions, and/or consultancy services. The winner must have proof of offering innovative, cost effective and enhanced solutions through implementing core ICT activities that lead towards better business practices. This award aims to achieve the following:
•Motivate the ICT vendors to provide better services to the government agencies.
•Create a perception among the ICT vendors about the quality level of the services or solutions expected by the government.
•Create a competition among the ICT vendors to provide better services.
Entry criteria
•The applicant must be operating within the Kingdom of Bahrain.
•The applicant must have a valid Company Registration (CR).
•The applicant must be utilizing ICT technology.
•The ICT solution should be operating at the time of application
Evaluation Criteria
•Cost savings and/or efficiency enhancements provided to the client. (Provide list of clients)
•Sustainability and scalability for the services rendered
•Project effectiveness with regards to efficiency or resources used (Project implementation plan & adherence to timelines, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, defined deliverables)
•Compliances towards standards.
http://www.egovaward.bh/AwardEn.aspx?AwardId=3
Overview
This award recognizes the ICT vendor that has successfully supported Bahrain government initiatives in Information Technology by providing products, solutions, and/or consultancy services. The winner must have proof of offering innovative, cost effective and enhanced solutions through implementing core ICT activities that lead towards better business practices. This award aims to achieve the following:
•Motivate the ICT vendors to provide better services to the government agencies.
•Create a perception among the ICT vendors about the quality level of the services or solutions expected by the government.
•Create a competition among the ICT vendors to provide better services.
Entry criteria
•The applicant must be operating within the Kingdom of Bahrain.
•The applicant must have a valid Company Registration (CR).
•The applicant must be utilizing ICT technology.
•The ICT solution should be operating at the time of application
Evaluation Criteria
•Cost savings and/or efficiency enhancements provided to the client. (Provide list of clients)
•Sustainability and scalability for the services rendered
•Project effectiveness with regards to efficiency or resources used (Project implementation plan & adherence to timelines, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, defined deliverables)
•Compliances towards standards.
http://www.egovaward.bh/AwardEn.aspx?AwardId=3
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Cost of raising a child in the UAE
http://gulfnews.com/business/your-money/cost-of-raising-a-child-in-the-uae-1.789248
Children are a joy to have but they constitute the single greatest expense for many families. In the UAE, the costs of raising two children run up to Dh60,000-Dh125,000 a year, eating away as much as 25 per cent of a couple's combined annual income.
Major expenses revolve around education and amusement or leisure for children which can easily add up to Dh95,000 a year for some households. The above figures are based on interviews with different families.
Separate figures released by financial adviser Candour Consultancy showed that bringing up a child to the age 18 can cost parents in Dubai a staggering Dh1.14 million.
Approximately, the biggest chunk (Dh400,000) will be spent on education. An almost equally significant amount (Dh300,000) will go to childcare and babysitting, and the third biggest expense will be children's toys, hobbies and leisure (Dh150,000).
The aggregate costs can seem daunting enough, but divided equally by 18 years, one child will set a family back to roughly Dh63,000 annually. Couples with two children can then expect to spend about Dh126,000.
"If you send your kids to a top school in Dubai, buy them designer clothes, eat out regularly, etc, these costs will be much higher," says Darren Ashley, managing director at Candour Consultancy.
Comparison
Candour's estimates, however, did not take into account the cost of housing and college education. It is also important to remember that the actual costs in ten or 18 years' time will be more than they are at present as a result of inflation, so parents might need to set a bigger budget.
In the United States, the US Department of Agriculture calculated that the first 17 years of a child's life is estimated to cost around Dh816,000, as of 2009 prices. In the UK, raising a child from birth to 21 is pegged around Dh1.24 million, according to a report this year by The Guardian.
Nisreen Hussain from India has three children aged six, ten and 16. In a year, the family spends about Dh150,000 for their children. Around Dh60,000 to Dh75,000 is spent on tuition fees. Extra-curricular activities, such as karate, soccer, religion and private tutorial classes cost Dh24,000 a year, while transportation can run up to Dh18,000.
Like any other parent, the Hussains shower their kids with presents and take them on foreign trips every year. Once a week, they go out to dinner that can set the family back Dh350 to Dh800.
The Hussains recently spent Dh5,000 on one birthday bash, and last February the eldest got an iPhone 4 for her Islamic birthday. "We celebrate birthdays twice a year, according to the Islamic and Gregorian calendars. My eldest's Gregorian birthday is up soon and I don't know yet what she's going to make me spend," she says.
"The cost of raising children has increased. It actually increased tremendously," Hussain points out. For Cathleen Nicol from Scotland, UK, her two girls aged five and two rack up about Dh125,000 in a year. The biggest portion (Dh70,000) goes to school fees.
Price spiral
The girls are taking ballet, as well as arts and crafts classes, so a year's spending on out-of-school activities add up to Dh12,000. About the same amount is spent on clothing each year, Dh6,000 on birthday parties and Dh14,400 on leisure and entertainment. The girls also get big toys for birthdays and Christmas that cost around Dh1,000 per child, plus monthly small gifts that can cost Dh4,800 in a year.
"Life expenses in general are increasing each year with rises in food shopping and fuel costs, and, as the children get older, school fees, uniforms, activity clubs, etc. generally increase," Nicol says.
Pascal Eppink, a Dutch expatriate and father of two boys, aged five and six, says their annual outgoings are rising as well. "It is just gradually increasing each year as they get bit by bit more independent and undertake more activities."
So far, annual spending is approximately Dh96,000. School fees reach Dh35,000 per year, but about 80 per cent of the amount is covered by Eppink's company. The boys also take football lessons which cost Dh45 per lesson per child, and ski classes at Dh140 per person.
Clothing costs amount to Dh7,000 to Dh10,000 a year. "It's not too bad, but it adds up though. They are not at the age yet of being brand conscious, so they have little demands so far. They just enjoy occasionally some cartoon characters clothing which usually do not cost much," Eppink says.
Airfares for the two boys, however, can cost quite dearly, with the family travelling three times a year. Although they don't have a dedicated nanny, someone comes four times a week to help, all for about Dh1,500 a month. Latha Ganes from India says rising school fees are one of their biggest expenses. Tuition fees for her twin daughters, aged eight, have just increased from Dh14,520 last year to Dh16,200 this year. "Expenses are definitely increasing and this is the right time to (tackle the issue) because the school has increased the fees recently," Ganes points out.
Since the twins take Arabic and Kumon lessons, the family spends an additional Dh1,800 per month. Another potential budget buster is the almost weekly trip to the amusement centres and malls. A day out can easily reach Dh250 to Dh300, or Dh14,000 a year.
Budget buster
Lynessa Serrao from India has recently given birth to twins, so she has not incurred any major expense so far, except for the baby furniture, clothes and accessories that she earlier purchased for about Dh2,500.
"These were one-time purchases. Newborns don't need much, but I'm sure that as and when they grow up, the cost will definitely increase," Serrao says.
The arrival of the twins, however, has caused Serrao's housing budget to increase from Dh40,000 to Dh50,000 a year. "We used to stay in one bedroom, but we thought it's too small now that we have babies. Luckily, the rents are not that high," she says.
Children are a joy to have but they constitute the single greatest expense for many families. In the UAE, the costs of raising two children run up to Dh60,000-Dh125,000 a year, eating away as much as 25 per cent of a couple's combined annual income.
Major expenses revolve around education and amusement or leisure for children which can easily add up to Dh95,000 a year for some households. The above figures are based on interviews with different families.
Separate figures released by financial adviser Candour Consultancy showed that bringing up a child to the age 18 can cost parents in Dubai a staggering Dh1.14 million.
Approximately, the biggest chunk (Dh400,000) will be spent on education. An almost equally significant amount (Dh300,000) will go to childcare and babysitting, and the third biggest expense will be children's toys, hobbies and leisure (Dh150,000).
The aggregate costs can seem daunting enough, but divided equally by 18 years, one child will set a family back to roughly Dh63,000 annually. Couples with two children can then expect to spend about Dh126,000.
"If you send your kids to a top school in Dubai, buy them designer clothes, eat out regularly, etc, these costs will be much higher," says Darren Ashley, managing director at Candour Consultancy.
Comparison
Candour's estimates, however, did not take into account the cost of housing and college education. It is also important to remember that the actual costs in ten or 18 years' time will be more than they are at present as a result of inflation, so parents might need to set a bigger budget.
In the United States, the US Department of Agriculture calculated that the first 17 years of a child's life is estimated to cost around Dh816,000, as of 2009 prices. In the UK, raising a child from birth to 21 is pegged around Dh1.24 million, according to a report this year by The Guardian.
Nisreen Hussain from India has three children aged six, ten and 16. In a year, the family spends about Dh150,000 for their children. Around Dh60,000 to Dh75,000 is spent on tuition fees. Extra-curricular activities, such as karate, soccer, religion and private tutorial classes cost Dh24,000 a year, while transportation can run up to Dh18,000.
Like any other parent, the Hussains shower their kids with presents and take them on foreign trips every year. Once a week, they go out to dinner that can set the family back Dh350 to Dh800.
The Hussains recently spent Dh5,000 on one birthday bash, and last February the eldest got an iPhone 4 for her Islamic birthday. "We celebrate birthdays twice a year, according to the Islamic and Gregorian calendars. My eldest's Gregorian birthday is up soon and I don't know yet what she's going to make me spend," she says.
"The cost of raising children has increased. It actually increased tremendously," Hussain points out. For Cathleen Nicol from Scotland, UK, her two girls aged five and two rack up about Dh125,000 in a year. The biggest portion (Dh70,000) goes to school fees.
Price spiral
The girls are taking ballet, as well as arts and crafts classes, so a year's spending on out-of-school activities add up to Dh12,000. About the same amount is spent on clothing each year, Dh6,000 on birthday parties and Dh14,400 on leisure and entertainment. The girls also get big toys for birthdays and Christmas that cost around Dh1,000 per child, plus monthly small gifts that can cost Dh4,800 in a year.
"Life expenses in general are increasing each year with rises in food shopping and fuel costs, and, as the children get older, school fees, uniforms, activity clubs, etc. generally increase," Nicol says.
Pascal Eppink, a Dutch expatriate and father of two boys, aged five and six, says their annual outgoings are rising as well. "It is just gradually increasing each year as they get bit by bit more independent and undertake more activities."
So far, annual spending is approximately Dh96,000. School fees reach Dh35,000 per year, but about 80 per cent of the amount is covered by Eppink's company. The boys also take football lessons which cost Dh45 per lesson per child, and ski classes at Dh140 per person.
Clothing costs amount to Dh7,000 to Dh10,000 a year. "It's not too bad, but it adds up though. They are not at the age yet of being brand conscious, so they have little demands so far. They just enjoy occasionally some cartoon characters clothing which usually do not cost much," Eppink says.
Airfares for the two boys, however, can cost quite dearly, with the family travelling three times a year. Although they don't have a dedicated nanny, someone comes four times a week to help, all for about Dh1,500 a month. Latha Ganes from India says rising school fees are one of their biggest expenses. Tuition fees for her twin daughters, aged eight, have just increased from Dh14,520 last year to Dh16,200 this year. "Expenses are definitely increasing and this is the right time to (tackle the issue) because the school has increased the fees recently," Ganes points out.
Since the twins take Arabic and Kumon lessons, the family spends an additional Dh1,800 per month. Another potential budget buster is the almost weekly trip to the amusement centres and malls. A day out can easily reach Dh250 to Dh300, or Dh14,000 a year.
Budget buster
Lynessa Serrao from India has recently given birth to twins, so she has not incurred any major expense so far, except for the baby furniture, clothes and accessories that she earlier purchased for about Dh2,500.
"These were one-time purchases. Newborns don't need much, but I'm sure that as and when they grow up, the cost will definitely increase," Serrao says.
The arrival of the twins, however, has caused Serrao's housing budget to increase from Dh40,000 to Dh50,000 a year. "We used to stay in one bedroom, but we thought it's too small now that we have babies. Luckily, the rents are not that high," she says.
Tuesday, February 01, 2011
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