The EMCC-accredited nonprofit Mowgli Mentoring and the SANAD Technical Assistance Facility (SANAD TAF) have partnered to provide a six-month mentoring program for Syrian refugees funded by Oesterreichische Entwicklungsbank (OeEB), the development bank of Austria.

The program’s objective is to provide personal and professional mentoring support to Syrian entrepreneurs based in the Greater Amman Municipality area. SANAD TAF’s mandate is to fuel the growth of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) from the startup and pre-startup phases to sustainable businesses.

Speaking on this partnership, Mowgli’s CEO Kathleen Bury stated, “This partnership speaks to the heart of what both our organisations seek to achieve in the long run, which is providing an enabling environment within the ecosystem to drive job creation and social and economic development. We are therefore excited to be working with SANAD TAF to further contribute to the prosperity of enterprises owned by Syrian and Jordanian nationals, empowering them to tap into their innate potential and further fuel their growth and sustainability.”

Given the growing unemployment rate in Jordan, organisations such as Mowgli and SANAD TAF are working to contribute by supporting entrepreneurs – who are, today, the key drivers of job creation. This program aims to empower refugees as the main beneficiaries, matching 15 entrepreneurs to 15 mentors, all based in Jordan, for one-on-one, structured mentoring.

Speaking on the program, Ines Ebrecht, Chairperson of the SANAD Technical Assistance Facility Committee, said: “We are very pleased at this opportunity to join Mowgli in supporting the economic development of Syrian entrepreneurs in Jordan. The SANAD Technical Assistance Facility has been working in favor of refugees in Jordan and Lebanon since 2015, and this valuable mentoring program will be an essential vehicle for furthering positive impact in the region.”

Established in 2011, the SANAD Fund for MSMEs finances micro, small and medium enterprises and low-income households in the Middle East and North Africa via qualified local lenders. SANAD thereby fosters economic development and job creation – including youth employment – agriculture, affordable housing, and innovations in finance and financial technologies. SANAD’s investors include the KfW Development Bank and the European Union.

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SANAD