A Delegation from the Port Sudan Association for Small Enterprise Development Visits Tamweelcom

Stemming from the importance of strengthening joint social work and the exchange of expertise between the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the Republic of Sudan in the area of microfinance, a delegation from the Sudanese Port Sudan Association for Small Enterprise Developments visited the Jordan Micro Credit Company (Tamweelcom) to learn about Jordan's experience in the microenterprise and microfinance sector. They became versed in the company's operational policies and types of products, especially since Tamweelcom applies best international practices in the sector.

The five-day visit aimed at introducing the Sudanese delegation to the methods and principles that are internationally applied in the microfinance sector.  Through Tamweelcom, the delegation was able to see the latest methods of work in terms of performance indicators, financial services, operational policies, internal control and monitoring, non-financial services, methods of developing women's work, as well as information technology systems and links with the financial administration.

The delegation visited one of Tamweelcom's branches in the Madaba Governorate to learn about the work inside the branches and some of the branch's clients, who are considered success stories in terms of their projects' development.  They also visited the Souk Ayadi main showroom in Jabal Al-Hussein, met with some of Tamweelcom's excellent clients and learned about their products in the Souk Ayadi, one of Tamweelcom's initiatives.  The delegation was able to learn about the Jordanian experience in the area of enhancing productivity and alleviating poverty and unemployment.

Tamweelcom’s customer service section, one of the divisions created in the microfinance sector in the region, was also visted by the delegation to learn about the social performance administration system that is based on specific standards. These ,  standards include measuring the extent to which the institution achieves its message and strategic objectives from the social aspect, targeting clients and the services provided to them, and learning about the company's exceptional social responsibility role, particularly its unique experience in the environmental field.

Tamweelcom's CEO Mr. Ziad Al-Refai welcomed the Sudanese delegation and gave a presentation about the company and its role in the service and development of the local community by promoting and marketing the clients' various handicrafts, such as wood products, embroideries, ceramics and accessories.. These products are displayed, in the permanent showrooms and the Souk Ayadi seasonal bazaars, which play a major role in selling the clients' products yielding social and economic benefits for them.

Mr. Al-Refai said:  "Activating the Souk Ayadi and the seasonal bazaars complement the services that Tamweelcom provides, beginning with training and funding and ending with marketing."  He indicated that the company provides its financial services through 23 branches distributed throughout the Kingdom.

Mr. Al-Refai added:  "Tamweelcom undertakes assessment and evaluation operations for its activities in order to improve its performance, its access to target categories and to improve the economic and social impacts by applying internationally adopted microfinance best practices."

Tamweelcom is a non-profit company and is one of the pioneering microfinance companies in Jordan that endeavors to fight poverty and unemployment.  It is fully owned by the Noor Al-Hussein Foundation (King Hussein Foundation).  More than 130,000 clients, 93% of whom are women, have received funding since Tamweelcom's establishment in 1999.