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CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE MICROFINANCE SECTOR - IRAQ
TO: THE DURABLE COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES (DCEO) – USAID
December 6-7, 2021
In the context of supporting the private sector and empowering the local economy, the Durable Communities and Economic Opportunities (DCEO) – USAID organized a kick-off meeting event in cooperation with SANAD Organization for Economic Development. The event focus on tackling the challenges of the Microfinance institutes in Iraq in addition to the potential opportunities that would align with the DCEO objectives. The event was gathering the executives and managerial level from five sectors: Microfinance and Financial institutions, Private Banks who works with Microcredits, entities that provide technical services for the Microfinance institutes, potential investors, and Governmental sectors represented by the Ministry of Planning, Ministry of youth, NGO directorate and Chamber of commerce, in addition to the DCEO representatives. The two days event (6th – 7th of Dec.2021) has been held in Rotana Erbil Hotel, Erbil, Iraq and moderated by an experienced advisor from the SANAD team.
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CONDUCTING AÂ WEBINAR ABOUTÂ FOOD SECURITY IN IRAQ WITH UNITAR
Sep 10, 2021
As part of Sanad’s vision to develop the Iraqi economy through entrepreneurship, we were delighted to collaborate with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) as part of their program titled (UNITAR COVID-19 Response and Recovery Programme: Mobilizing Resilient Entrepreneurs to Address Food Insecurity, Public Health and Unemployment - For Youth in Iraq) which equips youth entrepreneurs in Iraq with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to turn ideas for a social or for-profit enterprise into a business model that meets the urgent domestic needs stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and that promotes sustainable recovery.
Sanad’s offered its expertise and presented a session on Food Security and Agribusiness – Iraq by Sanad’s CEO Dr. Sameh W. Al-Muqdadi in which he offered an overview about the current situation with focus on the challenges related to water resources management and opportunities of agribusiness in the current Iraqi landscape, the session was attended by the Iraqi learners of the program as well as UNITAR staff from Iraq and Japan, the attendance showed interest in the topic and the session concluded after engaging discussions with the presenter especially exploring the future opportunities that the future entrepreneur can utilize to support the Iraqi economy.
ACCESS TO FINANCE WEBINAR
WITHÂ USAID - DCEO/TAHFEEZ
February  15, 2022
SANAD Organization was leading the Microfinance panel during the event; The CEO of SANAD Dr.Sameh Al-Muqdadi was talking about the Iraqi microfinance sector holds great promise for private sector growth. Often funding enterprises with small sums of capital, microfinance institutions are critical to ensuring that entrepreneurs and other micro-businesses have early-stage growth capital. The microfinance sector can contribute to economic resilience and growth through the expansion of capital and finance access for entrepreneurs, micro and small enterprises.Â
Two Microfinance experts have been invited to this panel Mr. Ahmed Alsuraifi the Chairman of Iraqi Microfinance Network and Dr. Abbas Alsaidi the Managing Director of Al-Thiqa Microfinance Organization. The panelists will draw out lessons learned from collective decades of experience working in the sector, with a focus on how to further develop and strengthen the impact of the microfinance sector in Iraq.
INTERNSHIPS AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAM
BY SANADÂ IN COOPERATION WITH RELIEF INTERNATIONAL
July 25 - August 12, 2021
Based on our social mission we have launched a an internship and capacity building program for young graduates. The program has been started in 2019 in cooperation with Ministry of Higher Education and Relief International Organization and different Iraqi Universities in Sulimaniyah. The program offered 12 sets.Â
The internship and capacity building program includes final assignment that helps to provide fresh potential graduate students or High performance students with proper knowledge and prepare them to the local market from one hand and to improve / receive new ideas to the in different economic and personal skills aspects, the duration is 100 hours (based on the standard for Ministry of Higher Education),it’s started from 25th July 2021 and finished on 12th Aug 2021, separate to 80 hours in office and 20 hours online.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND PROJECT DEVELOPMENT COURSE
August 9, 2021
In cooperation with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization UNIDO, Sanad Organization for Economic Development held a 5-day course on entrepreneurship and project development. Graduates from this course will receive free consultations for their projects as well as feasibility studies. 27 young men and women were trained on topics (communication skills, accounting, Marketing skills, and business plan development)
Sanad team will continue to follow up on these projects and provide them with the advice they need to develop their projects.