Middle Eastern social entrepreneurs recognised

John Elkington

May 14, 2009

Two new social entrepreneurs with significant impact in the region have been recognized by the Schwab Foundation as winners of the Middle East Regional Social Entrepreneurs 2009. Naif Al Mutawa, Founder and Chairman of Teshkeel Media Group, Kuwait, and Ziad Al Refai, Chief Executive Officer, Tamweelcom, Jordan, will join other leading social entrepreneurs at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East, 15-17 May 2009.

Teshkeel Media Group is focused on creating wholesome new children’s adventures through its proprietary superheroes, “THE 99”. Drawing upon global history, culture and traditions, its aim is to provide positive and inspirational role models for children that are inspired by Islam albeit on a global level. THE 99 are superheroes from 99 countries that work together to improve the world with story lines that promote diversity, multiculturalism, personal responsibility and personal accountability. THE 99 comics have been licensed in 8 languages with editions in Indonesia, Turkey, France, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal already, with other countries soon to be included. THE 99 Village theme park – the first of six – recently opened in Jahra, Kuwait and a global animation project co-Produced with media giant Endemol is poised to hit the airwaves by the end of 2009.

Tamweelcom is the Middle East’s leading microfinance organization, ranked 8th best microfinance bank worldwide. It provides credit opportunities for micro-entrepreneurs, who cannot access the banking system due to a lack of collateral. It also provide business training and vocational services to the poorest communities in Jordan, women-led families and widows, through its loan offices. Through successful innovations such as the Souk Ayyadi markets that create sales channels for the products and services of its members, educational scholarship funding for performing member’s family, and “pay and renew” loan systems, Tamweelcom has continued to grow and serve client’s needs. Since inception, it has served more than 100,000 micro-entrepreneurs with more than US$75million in loans.