RIYADH: A record number of students are expected to participate in the 7th TREP$ Marketplace – the program that encourages children to become entrepreneurs. The Prince Salman Science Oasis (PSSO) is organizing the event, to be held at Sahara Mall in Riyadh on Dec. 1 and 2. Dr. Khalid Taher, Supervisor General of PSSO, a non-profit organization located in the Diplomatic Quarter in Riyadh, said he expects this year's event to attract more students than ever before. “Over 220 students will showcase a range of items that include necklaces, earrings, candy, gum, cookies, snacks, photo frames, schoolbags, backpacks and a number of other products at the 7th TREP$ Marketplace,” said Taher. He said the TREP$ Marketplace is also expected to attract parents and other community members. In anticipation of a huge turnout of visitors, the event will take place on two consecutive days, he said. TREP$ is an after-school educational program designed for young children and teaches them to develop their own products or services that they can sell at the marketplace. It opens between 5:30 P.M. and 8:30 P.M. Taher said the PSSO's basic aim is to train students in preparation for the job market or starting a business. He said children enrolled at PSSO's TREP$ Program are taught to face realities and challenges, and become successful in their lives. “Challenges are to be confronted even in the best of times. This is what makes a true entrepreneur – the capability to face a problem and take it head-on whether it is in the job market or in one's own business,” he said. “PSSO has a number of other programs including Microsoft's Web Expression and Robotics that children can participate in and gain knowledge to become future entrepreneurs,” Taher said. The program is designed to encourage young children to become introspective, face challenges, look for business environments or generate business opportunities that would not have existed otherwise. The point is to make children accept the current realities of life and work hard to secure their future, he said. The participating students are from Al-Ghad School, Najd School, New Middle East International School, International Indian Public School, Sri Lankan International School, Sunlight International School, Abdulaziz International School, Tarbiah School, Al-Madrsah, Riyadh School, Al-Rowad School, Manarat Al-Riyadh International School, and Pakistan International School. TREP$ was created by Pamela deWaal and Hayley Romano, two certified teachers who reside in West Milford, New Jersey, in the United States. The program began when their then 10-year-old sons decided to go into business together selling hand-stamped wrapping paper at an adult vendor night at their school. The boys sold out of their product and shared their success story with their peers. TREP$ was piloted in the West Milford school district at Paradise Knoll School in Oak Ridge and based on the merits of the program, the district's Parent Teacher Association won the “Champion for Children Award” for best new program.
