22 November 2009, Amman- The Jordan Micro Credit Company (Tamweelcom) organizes a Forum for Jordanian and Lebanese Women Artisans, in cooperation with the Lebanese Society for Development (Al-Majmoa) and with the participation of 24 Lebanese micro-entrepreneur women and 20 micro-entrepreneur women from among Tamweelcom’s clients.

The Forum for Women Artisans is being organized as part of Tamweelcom’s 14th Souk Ayyadi bazaar and in cooperation with The Group in Abdoun Mall, November 20-25, 2009.

This bazaar is significant because it is the first to bring together Jordanian and Lebanese artisans, as well as the fact that it includes a forum for training participants on issues related to small business management and economic empowerment.

The bazaar will include a variety of products, such as food productions, stitching and pottery works, fashion accessories, straw products, and many other handmade items.

Mrs. Rula Jabour, the imitative coordinator in the Lebanese Group, said: “This forum for Lebanese and Jordanian artisans is considered the first to be supported by the Women Empowerment Project, which is funded by the National Association for the Affairs of Lebanese Women and the UNFP in Lebanon.”

The initiative is designed to exchange expertise and expand ties among the clients, as well as to development management skills, and enhance networking within the market through the bazaars.

Mr. Hasan Jamil Hasan, the Marketing Unit head at Tamweelcom, said: “The Souk Ayyadi initiative, which was launched in 2007, aims to help entrepreneurs sell and promote their products through bazaars and permanent exhibitions, which this year are expanding to cover several neighboring Arab countries, with the aim of raising the level of clients’ expertise and enhance networking skills with clients in the handicraft sector in the neighboring countries.

Hasan added that one of the services provided by Tamweelcom to its clients is training, which focuses on women to increase their participation in the local community and enhance their capacities in order to enable them to improve the economic and social standards of their families.

Stars
Hasan concluded by thanking all the supporters from Lebanon and the local community, including MenaITech, Al-Waseet newspaper, Al-Ghad newspaper, and Abdoun Mall, the host of the 14th Souk Ayyadi bazaar.

Tamweelcom is a non-profit company and is the leading microfinance company in Jordan that endeavors to fight poverty and unemployment.

It was founded in 1999 and is owned by the Noor Al-Hussein Foundation (King Hussein Foundation).

More than 124 thousand projects have been financed using more than JD 58 million, 95% of the projects were for women.