Event hears of MicroMentor project’s success

AMMAN — Mercy Corps on Sunday hosted an event titled “MicroMentor’s Impact and Success” with the aim to provide a mentoring platform for emerging entrepreneurs.

Director of the Youth, Technology and Jobs Project at the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship Raed Madanat, Canada’s Ambassador to Jordan Donica Pottie along with media representatives attended the event, which was supported by Mastercard Centre for Inclusive Growth and Google.org. 

The MicroMentor project is a free online business mentoring platform that enables the world’s largest community of purpose-driven entrepreneurs and business mentors to create powerful connections, solve problems and build successful businesses together, according to a briefing by the project’s team during the event.

“The ministry's vision is to achieve a secure and inclusive digital economy that will contribute to long-term economic and social development,” Madanat said during his speech. 

He provided an overview of Jordan's entrepreneurship systems, highlighting Micro Mentor's significance.

Madanat said that the ministry is grateful to have a project like MicroMentor in Jordan, helping entrepreneurs grow and succeed. 

"As part of our inclusive economic growth strategy, our projects aim to strengthen demand-driven employability skills while also supporting market growth in key sectors to increase access to safe, equitable and decent work opportunities," Kari Diener, country director for Mercy Corps Jordan, said during her speech. 

Kari also provided an overview of Mercy Corps Jordan, its primary goal and mission, and how they are assisting the economic development sector, particularly the entrepreneurial sector.

"During the pandemic, when most projects were affected, the MicroMentor platform provided an outlet for many people," Wissam Al Tali, Mentor, said during her overview.  

Tali stated that as a mentor on the platform, she dedicated all of her energy during the pandemic to deliver what is needed from entrepreneurs and small business owners to grow in their field of work.

Sakhr Al Qawasmi shared his success story with the audience. He said that before joining the MicroMentor platform, he worked with many business incubators, but what made MicroMentor exceptional in his opinion, was the “precision” in their work.

 "I believe MicroMentor has brought the distances closer. As an entrepreneur from Irbid, the platform has enabled me to connect with more than 25 business mentors, and I've been working on developing websites and apps for individuals from Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United States," Qawasmi said. 

MicroMentor MENA is playing a pivotal role in enabling youth entrepreneurs to form a meaningful mentoring relationship with experienced professionals from around the MENA region, to help them unlock ideas, find tools and best practices that can result in improving their venture outcomes, such as expanding access to resources, networks and regional markets, according to a statement from Mercy Corps.