Women Empowerment Unleashing the Power of Women Entrepreneurship Preamble Under the third priority of its strategy for 2011-2015, the Family Development Foundation intends to develop the Women Empowerment initiative. Its aim is to empower women, both socially and economically, through preparation and empowerment, training and counseling. Developing the spirit of entrepreneurship and leadership among women will lead to job creation. In the end, this will allow women to play a more effective role in social and economic progress. Under the Women Empowerment initiative are programs and services. General Objectives Empower women economically and socially through preparation, capacity building, coaching, and mentoring Promote women s entrepreneurial potential Develop and nurture the spirit of entrepreneurship and investment among women by providing them with leadership, managerial and technical skills to establish and develop micro-enterprises, both individually and collectively Participate in creating new job opportunities for women to enhance their participation and strengthen their role in society in the medium and long term Encourage female graduates to establish their own enterprise and contribute to the development of the national economy Increase women s participation in Abu Dhabi s workforce Assist national families currently receiving government support (subsidies); enable them to be financially self-reliant and able to fulfill their needs
Logo The logo represents the personality of a woman entrepreneur. She proudly depends on herself but preserves her national identity, customs and traditions. Castle alludes to the past; a symbol of purity of origin, strength and permanence amidst changes and developments Sand hills refer to Abu Dhabi s geographic environment; a symbol of strength, resolution and perseverance despite changes and the harsh desert climate. Gold refers to Arab sand; pure gold taken from the sun s rays, which shine forever; gold also represents the challenges brought on by the desert through the years Woman represents the key family member who proudly challenges circumstances to carry out her leading role by participating in Abu Dhabi and her family s sustainable social and economic development, with a view to building a stable family and society Enterprise - blue refers to the sea abounding in riches, which is identical to the enterprise s objectives and expected results Programs First: Women Entrepreneurship Development Program The program aims to assist potential women entrepreneurs to set up and manage micro-enterprises through the following services: Means of selecting appropriate business ideas Assistance in business plan development Business counseling interventions on available financing schemes Developing and improving participants skills to enhance their enterprises Essentials of managing an enterprise and inputs on how to implement a project
Targeted Group Women Who possess skills, talents and the desire to develop their capacities Low-income families with the desire to set up a micro-enterprise, individually or collectively With an existing enterprise and want to develop and expand its scope Second: Women s Leadership Skills Improvement Program Train women in leadership and interpersonal skills; advise and support them in order to get job opportunities that fit their qualifications, experiences and skills through a range of training courses, including: Leadership skills Self-knowledge Art of thinking Communication and negotiation skills Resolution of problems CV writing Preparation for job interviews Specialist skills Targeted Group Women Who want to develop their leadership and personal skills Who seek job opportunities that fit their qualifications and skills Who belong to low-income families but want to develop their leadership and personal skills to get job opportunities
Third: Developing Business Counselors for the Growth of the Enterprise This program aims to create a pool of well-trained and qualified staff to help entrepreneurs develop their business ideas, finalize their business plans, and manage the enterprise to reach sustainable growth potential. Objectives To equip participants with skills in profiling enterprises in terms of their current performance and potential for growth To enable counselors to acquire problem-solving skills To generate awareness about counseling styles To develop skills required to assist existing entrepreneurs in consolidation, performance improvement, and growth of their businesses Targeted Group Participants would consist of a mix of teachers, trainers, consultants, appraisal officers, extension officers and industry promotion officers, representing educational/ developmental institutions, government departments (Ministry of Industry and Commerce) associated with enterprise development, chambers, consultancy firms, university lecturers may preferably be selected from those teaching accounting and financial management/marketing management. Fourth: Counseling and Technology Tie-up The purpose of this service is to provide counseling and mentoring services to potential women entrepreneurs, who have undergone training, seek to establish an enterprise, or aspire to expand their existing business. It generally includes the following services: Business opportunity identification, analysis and finalization
Market research Collection, analysis and compilation of relevant data Identification and sourcing information on appropriate technology, machinery/equipment, and raw materials, etc. Facilitating technology tie-ups and joint venture collaborations ** (See below for more details) Business plan preparation Completing legal documentation and seeking necessary registrations, licenses and clearances Identifying appropriate financial linkage, based on project requirements and entrepreneurs investment capacity Finalizing project implementation plan Targeted Group Women Who want to set up a micro-enterprise Who have existing enterprises and aspire to develop them further Who have a project idea but need assistance in developing the business plan Experts and lecturers The program will be implemented by lecturers and experts from: UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization) Investment and Technology Promotion Office Bahrain ARCEIT (Arab Regional Center for Entrepreneurship and Investment Training) Local, regional and international universities Partners Partners in Project Implementation UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization)
Investment and Technology Promotion Office Bahrain ARCEIT (Arab Regional Center for Entrepreneurship and Investment Training) Partners Supporting the Project UNIFEM, the United Nations Development Fund for Women Strategic Partners Ruler s Representative Court in Western Region Abu Dhabi Executive Council Western Region Municipality Western Region Development Council Khalifa Fund to Support and Develop Small and Medium Enterprises Department of Economic Development Programs are implemented at the following centers: In the first stage, programs and services falling under Women Empowerment will be implemented at the Western Region Centers: Family Development Foundation Center Madinat Zayed +971 2 8846189 Family Development Foundation Center Al Marfaa +971 2 8836397 Family Development Foundation Center Ghayathi +971 2 8741200 Family Development Foundation Center Sila +971 2 8724044 Family Development Foundation Center Delma +971 2 8781333 For further inquiries, please contact: Phone: Fax: Email: (FB/2778/11)