24 selected as BADIR fellows for 2017

AMMAN — As part of its efforts to support young social entrepreneurs in Jordan, BADIR, an initiative by the International Youth Foundation (IYF), on Wednesday announced its fellows for the year 2017.

The fellows, who were announced during an award ceremony held under the patronage of HRH Princess Alia, were selected out of 250 applicants, according to a BADIR statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times Thursday.

A diverse selection committee chose the top 24 finalists — 8 women and 16 men — to join the 2017 BADIR Fellowship.

Selected fellows then participated in a six-day training course, for which they received BADIR certificates in acknowledgment of their hard work, the statement indicated.

The 24 new fellows are currently preparing for their respective pitches, which will take place on November 6 and 7 in the presence of a committee composed of a number of expert judges from various sectors, which will qualify the top 10 fellows for additional funding from BADIR’s Social Innovation Fund.

BADIR’s 2017 Fellowship is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through a grant from the USAID Civic Initiatives Support (CIS) Programme implemented by FHI 360.

USAID CIS and IYF have been working closely with the new fellows and have begun equipping them with the knowledge, skills and abilities to strengthen and scale up their social innovation projects, with a strong focus on building inclusive societies and engaging marginalised communities, according to the statement.

The BADIR staff will also be monitoring the fellows’ work through field visits and regular reports over the next six months.

Launched in 2011, BADIR fellowship programme provides young entrepreneurs with the chance to connect with like-minded peers and to access resources, funding and tailored training and mentoring, the statement read. 

Fellows also gain media exposure and networking opportunities that help further advance their projects. Additionally, they get the chance to meet influential entities in Jordan through "Friends of BADIR", a group of local organisations that support the BADIR programme. 

Through YouthActionNet — a programme carried out by IYF — BADIR fellows benefit from being part of a vibrant and growing network that comprises of over 1,500 young social innovators from over 90 countries, the statement continued.

“BADIR aims to play a pivotal role in further developing and expanding a nationwide, social innovation sector by elevating the capacity of youth-led and youth-serving organisations to foster and sustain social entrepreneurship activities," Hafez Neeno, IYF’s regional, Middle East and country director, Jordan, was quoted in the statement as saying.

"To do so effectively, it is vital to spotlight accomplished young social entrepreneurs like our current 89 fellows, whose work spans diverse fields and interests. By harnessing the resources available through us at BADIR, we hope to empower all of our fellows and help them accomplish their mission of bettering their local communities, particularly those marginalised, as they transform into true advocates for positive change," he continued.

Hamza Arsbi, a 2013 BADIR Fellow, said: “The BADIR Fellowship was one of the first programmes to believe in my work and what I was trying to achieve. They provided all the support my small organisation needed to grow and increase its impact."

He added: "My organisation, the Science League, reached over 4,000 students in cities around Jordan thanks to the training, connections and platform that BADIR provided me with. This kind of support is what youth-led startups and social ventures need to feel that their hard work is being appreciated, in order to push forward and create real change in their communities.”