Oman: Omani Women En Route to Economic Independence

MEPI

In Oman, small businesses are considered a critical factor for economic growth and recovery. Assisting women in attaining professional entrepreneurial skills to maximize small business potential is a driving force for many countries economic growth. Supported by the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) local grants program, Dar Al Atta, a leading charitable organization in Oman, started a program to encourage small and medium business ownership for economically disadvantaged women from different regions in Oman. To improve and enhance the economic climate for women’s entrepreneurship, Dar Al Atta conducted training for 65 women from low income families throughout the country in January and February 2009. Participants learned how to launch a business, achieve professional success and climb the entrepreneurship ladder.

Further training sessions taught participants how to develop a business idea, organize a business program, estimate start-up funding, and develop a business plan, as well as information and communication technology and E-Commerce skills. The women also acquired leadership and management skills that will support them in their outreach to funding agencies in Oman and in their successful small business operations. Six key-note speakers from the Omani Ministry of Social Development and Ministry of Manpower and a successful women entrepreneur communicated their experience and provided insights on utilizing tools for business progress. As part of the MEPI-sponsored project, a web portal is also being developed to provide business development resources, information on local incubators and government supported-programs, and a network of local entrepreneurs. The portal will serve as a medium for women business owners to share collective wisdom.

Through MEPI grantee Dar Al Atta’s efforts, Omani women will be energized to invest in themselves, boost their living standards, and realize their goals to be economically independent. Next project steps will include: offering further training for women in other regions, finalizing a small and medium business instructional toolkit, and launching the entrepreneurship web portal so that more women will be able to achieve professional success.

This MEPI local grant project was covered recently in Oman’s local press, including the Times of Oman and Al Osra.