Jordan River Foundation And Citibank Award Jordan Micro-entrepreneurs For 2016

The Jordan River Foundation and CitiGroup held an awards ceremony for the 11th year in a row, in celebration of the winning micro-entrepreneurs in the “CitiBank Program” 2016.

The Citi Micro Entrepreneur Awards promotes micro-entrepreneurship, and raises awareness about the entrepreneurial need for financial services. The award also highlights local entrepreneurs who combat unemployment and improve their own and their families’ financial situation through their projects. 

The program is managed by one of JRF’s main programs, which proves the Foundation’s commitment to sustainable development. Through this program, JRF implements projects that aim to empower local communities by increasing community member participation in the development of their communities, as well as identifying the economic and social needs therein and addressing them.

Mayank Malik, Citi's General Manager for Jordan said, "we've come a long way since we launched the program in over 30 countries, including Jordan, in 2005. The award has since expanded to include the entire Kingdom, and it covers most economic activities that contribute to Jordan’s sustainable development. The award has become an annual event which celebrates success in sustainable development, as it directly contributes to improving the living conditions of Jordanians through empowering them to manage their own businesses, and awarding them for employing their country’s available resources”.

On her part, JRF General Director Enaam Barrishi spoke about JRF’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurs as a national institution, through providing them with the necessary skills and training courses which help them kick start and develop their initiatives, as well as facilitating their reach to SME financing companies.

She also commended the efforts that the National Committee has put into implementing the CitiBank Program, as well as launching and sponsoring the award, which contributed to the establishment of projects by micro-entrepreneurs, turning their dreams into reality.

JRF’s Training and Consulting Division Director and the National Committee Coordinator, Dr. Mohammad Hourani, has offered some insights into the 2016 awards, citing that 97 projects across Jordan have been visited for assessment. Additionally, the award saw the participation of 10 establishments, and has received applications from 12 Jordanian governorates. 20 projects have won the award this year, 7 of which belong to women entrepreneurs, and 13 to men. As part of its implementation policy, the award program follows a specific selection and implementation methodology. The policy in place ensures that the projects are aligned with JRF’s vision and standards, and serve the objectives of financing bodies. Additionally, it not only ensures transparency in implementation, but also ensures the participation of local community members in target areas, whether during the selection process, design, or progress of implementation. There is a total of 254 micro-entrepreneurs from across Jordan who have won the award since its launch in 2005.