From KSA to the Arab World: Hadafi funds and mentors female entrepreneurs

In a society where women are still economically marginalized and absent from the labor market, technology entrepreneurship is emerging as a solution that saves them from overlapping responsibilities that hinder their productivity as effective actors in society. Moms busy taking care of their homes and kids are now able to run a whole business online from the comfort of their home. However, despite all these facilities, entrepreneurship still lacks an effective feminine presence. According to a study carried out by Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), most markets are still masculine.

Women’s involvement in the world of entrepreneurship is essential and crucial as an indicator of productivity, development, freedom, and social justice, and thus, focus should be poured into projects and programs that provide women with tools and means that contribute to activating their economic role. These initiatives include Hadafi, a program that puts Arab women in the appropriate environments for them to achieve their entrepreneurial ambitions.

The program was launched in 2013 by Potential, a social enterprise offering free training sessions to Saudi women. Now, it’s available to women throughout the Arab world thanks to a partnership with PepsiCo, Dell, and Intel. “Hadafi was a small project in the beginning, but it rapidly expanded and we are looking to further develop it in 2015,” said John Katsabanis, Potential’s marketing manager.

The program’s idea was born after Potential noticed the lack of women in its other program which targets both men and women: SME Evolution Program, designed to support entrepreneurs. Ever since, the company has worked to attract women through Hadafi which it developed to encourage and enable women. “Entrepreneurs are usually afraid of failure and of actually starting the business, that’s why we don’t only offer awareness and education, but also mentoring and encouragement,” says Katsabanis.

Original article by Tala el Issa

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From KSA to the Arab World: Hadafi funds and mentors female entrepreneurs