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MSE Support – For a Stronger Economy and Better Resilience | Tafawoq project

Lebanon
25.01.2023
Various economic and technical barriers stand in the way of Small and Medium Enterprises (MSE) in Lebanon, narrowing their scope of work and income generation. Under the TAFAWOQ program, Swisscontact conducted studies and collaborated with several non-governmental organizations and foundations, including The Nawaya Network, DROPS, IZRAA, and arcenciel, to provide MSEs with the needed support, to create and maintain sustainable job opportunities. We worked with our partners to develop interventions in the construction sector, reused textiles and circular economy, and regenerative agriculture.

Homeowners are having difficulties hiring good quality professionals at an affordable cost with durable results, while MSEs are having difficulty accessing the right market. The supply and demand for construction services are evidently out of balance.

Hence, we created Naaam.org as a dynamic online market that connects homeowners with a network of construction and maintenance service providers. In addition, we worked with The Nawaya Network in Beirut and DROPS in Tripoli to carry out the operations.
Along with Naaam.org, the Naaam Business Solutions Center was established in Beirut in collaboration with The Nawaya Network and in Tripoli in collaboration with DROPS to provide business solutions, business support, and capacity building for MSEs. So far, 155 MSMEs in Beirut have joined Naaam Business Center, and 85 in the north have enrolled on the platform.

This program is increasing job prospects for MSEs in the construction services industry, with 60 MSEs completing projects in Beirut and another 41 in the north, and 33 MSEs increasing sales.

 

The vegetable distribution chain in agriculture prohibits farmers from selling their produce at a decent price and reduces their profitability. To help with this issue, we collaborated with IZRAA in Bekaa and Akkar to create a mobile application that connects farmers with consumers, allowing farmers to boost their revenues and strengthen their resilience. This intervention will increase revenue for 342 SMEs in 2023.

Lastly, Re-suit is an initiative we're collaborating on with our local partner arcenciel. It focuses on the clothes waste management system and generates job opportunities for Lebanese, Syrians, and Palestinians, as waste management is one of the few industries where these refugee populations are permitted to work. This initiative has so far impacted 59 MSEs.

 

To strengthen the local economy while targeting many industries in Lebanon and the Middle East, we aim to further develop the market and increase employment matching and work prospects for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises in the private sector.

 

This project is part of the Swisscontact Development Programme, which is co-financed by SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA).

2019 - 2024
Lebanon
Initial vocational education and training
Tafawoq
The project enables 150 young women and men from three population groups to take part in a coaching cycle that teaches them basic skills to integrate into the labour market in the project areas of Tripoli and Beddawi in northern Lebanon.In Lebanon in 2018, 950 000 Syrian refugees were registered with the UNHCR, while approximately 250 000...
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