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Ammon News - The Informal Livelihoods Advancement Activity (Iqlaa) held two graduation ceremonies in Amman and Aqaba for participants in its flagship ‘Integrated, Intensive Capacity-Building Program’ (IICP). The ceremonies were attended by a number of key stakeholders in the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Jordan. In Aqaba, H.E. Khaled Al-Hajjaj attended the graduation ceremony in addition to USAID’s Economic Development and Energy Office Director Richard Chen and a number of USAID representatives.

The program aligns with the objectives of Iqlaa - which is implemented by eight partners led by Mercy Corps - to empower and build the entrepreneurial and financial capacities of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) owners. Considering the cities’ strategic economic importance and potential for further entrepreneurship development, the training program was based in Amman and Aqaba covering a total of 55 participants from various business sectors.

Representing Iqlaa’s donor, USAID, Richard Chen said, “The program was designed to empower high-potential MSE owners to enhance their entrepreneurial mindset and behavior, which would aid in better running and upscaling their businesses. This is at the core of Iqlaa’s objectives, aiming to empower and enable small business owners to be better equipped to stand out in the market and remain sustainable.

The IICP program covers two essential components; an internationally-recognized entrepreneurship training and financial-skills training. The entrepreneurship training has been delivered in 50 countries around the world and has impacted over 490 thousand entrepreneurs globally since it started in 1988. It follows a unique methodology for equipping entrepreneurs with the motives for action and improvement to build successful enterprises. Additionally, the financial-skills training focuses on strengthening the financial knowledge and capacities of the participants.

Laith Al-Qasem, Iqlaa’s Chief of Party, stressed the importance of building entrepreneurial behavioral skills and competitive capacities of MSEs owners, saying, “Our best asset in Jordan is our talented, ambitious and hardworking young men and women who are very eager to venture with their ideas and capacities into new heights. Amongst those are entrepreneurial business owners who have been struggling to achieve the right competitive edge to make it in the market, let alone maintaining an enduring stamina for business that can overcome the various challenges they might face”. He added, “Iqlaa’s Integrated Intensive Capacity-Building Program aims at catering for this specific audience by building their entrepreneurial personas, enriching their interpersonal skills, and equipping them with an arsenal of knowledge and tools to take their businesses into better levels of success, resilience, and sustainability”.

Expressing his appreciation of the value he gained by attending the Amman-based program, Samer Abdel Dayem said, “What was truly outstanding in this training program was how it enhanced my competencies and skills, particularly in business planning and knowing how to overcome communications barriers with clients.” He added, “By joining the program and learning more about Iqlaa, I also came across their formalization support. With their guidance and consultation services, I managed to successfully register my business, which was a dream coming true.”

Rajaa Al Khatatbeh who attended the Aqaba-based training said, “Joining this program was a turning point in my entrepreneurial journey. Today I feel more confident to run my small business, knowing I am better equipped with business acumen and interpersonal strengths.” She added, “on the financial level, I have learned how to better analyze expenses, revenues and profits, which enables me to have better financial planning and more control over my finances.”

The first cohort of this training program comprised 31 participants in the Amman-based sessions and 24 participants in Aqaba. After the training, the graduates are expected to better identify and pursue new opportunities for growth and scale-up, and to have stronger understanding and skills for efficient financial management. In addition, the graduates will have the opportunity to benefit from other services by Iqlaa. For the coming months, Iqlaa will be rolling out this capacity building program in other governorates in Jordan.

Iqlaa is a five-year program that started in 2022 and aims to support Jordan's home-based, micro and small businesses to grow, transform, and become resilient to future challenges.