The moment we won the iValues award for Economy & Jobs

One of the projects we are most proud of at the Lotus Flower is our Women’s Business Incubator - and this week, we won a prestigious award recognising its importance and success.

The Incubator is a livelihoods project which provides training, funding and literacy support so that vulnerable women ISIS survivors can start their own small businesses and earn a living to provide for their own families - often for the first time in their lives.

During a ceremony in Amman, Jordan, our Regional Director Vian Ahmed accepted the iValues award for Economy & Jobs, courtesy of the the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF) in the MENA region.

The project has seen women launch all kinds of sustainable businesses, including hair and beauty salons, clothing stores, cafes and snack-shops. Our Incubator covers all the fundamentals they need to start a business, from market research and planning through to launch, plus effective management, recruitment and networking. It also focuses on business development which is robust during these times of the pandemic, by incorporating marketing skills, crisis management, social media for business and delivery services.

The project also includes mental health support, which is much-needed in the wake of COVID-19, especially as cases of gender-based violence have soared. By gaining educational skills, financial independence and becoming primary decision-makers, the Incubator is actually designed to help combat such patterns of violence against women.

Furthermore, by accessing our other educational programs, including English language and literacy classes, women build their confidence, skills, and social networks, contributing to a higher likelihood of success. Any profits their business earns are paid directly to them, to support their families and re-invest. 

We’re really keen to extend the project further so it can provide many more women with the tools they need to secure their financial independence. So please do support us if you can…