Beirut- May, 21, 2018 – In partnership with Citi Foundation, regional community development organization Ruwwad Al-Tanmeya announced today the launch of its “Youth Economic Empowerment” program. Part of “Pathways to Progress”, Citi’s initiative to boost the employability of young people around the globe, the program aims at equipping youth across Lebanon and Jordan with entrepreneurial mindsets and skills to help them secure jobs and contribute in the economy.
The latest of a series of collaborations between Ruwwad and Citi Foundation following their partnership in 2014 in Jordan, the Youth Economic Empowerment Program comes to anchor the parties’ efforts to improve the life of low-income communities. While previous initiatives lead to creating successful businesses for micro-entrepreneurs in Jordan and Lebanon, the latest grant received in 2016 allowed Ruwwad to launch its empowerment program.
Stretching over a period of two years, the program aims at engaging the youth of disenfranchised areas in Tripoli and Amman in a set of learning programs and entrepreneurial endeavors through three different initiatives, with the direct involvement of a minimum of ten Citi volunteers:
– Employment Support, providing university and college graduates in Amman and Tripoli with employability skills and internship opportunities;
– Micro-Business Support, offering consultancy to 30 micro-businesses, five of which will be granted financial and marketing support to better institutionalize and sustain their work;
– Technology Support, targeting 50 school dropouts aged 16 to 24, 25 of which will be selected through a three-round competition to be trained in advanced levels of coding and compete in producing the best ERP programming solution.
It is worth mentioning that in February 2017, Citi Foundation announced an expanded three-year commitment to invest $100 million in the empowerment of 500,000 young people globally. Working alongside leading community organizations and municipal leaders, the Citi Foundation is helping to test and scale proven solutions, building on the achieved impact with partners such as Ruwwad Al-Tanmeya.
“Our longstanding relationship with Ruwwad began with the “Empowering Micro-Entrepreneurs in Jordan and Lebanon” program back in 2014”, commented Michel Sawaya, Citi Country Officer for Lebanon. “The Youth Economic Empowerment program targets low-income disadvantaged youth in markets that are in dire need for employability skills and entrepreneurship training. As part of our Pathways to Progress initiative and aligned with our mission, this partnership will be providing young people with economic opportunities that will enable growth and progress in the region”, he added.
As for Sarah Al-Charif, Director of Ruwwad Al Tanmeya, Lebanon, she said: “Our partnership with the Citi Foundation is key in creating lasting and sustainable impact in our local community, through the creation and growth of income generation micro-businesses and the preparation of underprivileged youth for employment with high retaining rates”.
About Ruwwad Al Tanmeya:
Ruwwad Al Tanmeya is a regional non-profit community development organization that helps disenfranchised communities overcome marginalization through youth activism, civic engagement and education. Founded in 2005 by Fadi Ghandour, serial entrepreneur and founder of Aramex International, Ruwwad established its first community center in Jabal Al Natheef, East Amman, supported by Cairo Amman Bank, Aramex, and Khaled Al Masri. Between 2011 and 2013, Ruwwad’s regional expansion took place through Aramex as the main corporate partner, and a network of like-minded entrepreneurs. In Lebanon, Ruwwad was founded in Tripoli in 2012, chaired and supported by Hala Fadel, as well as Fadi Ghandour, and a group of renowned philanthropists. The Ruwwad Community Center stands between Tebbaneh and Jabal Mohsen, two of the most marginalized communities having witnessed years of sectarian clashes. For more information, visit Ruwwad’s regional website www.ruwwad.net.
About Citi Foundation:
The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. It invests in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation’s “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill their mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information about the global research initiative that supports youth in 35 cities across the world, visit Citi Foundation at www.citifoundation.com/citi/foundation.