In Cairo:
Riham Mustafa
Phone: +(202) 2461-4230
E-mail: rmustafa@ifc.org
Erbil, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, October 17, 2016 - IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, signed an agreement with Erbil-based NGO the Rwanga Foundation today to help it provide business training to host communities and refugees in Iraq, part of efforts to bolster the country’s private sector amid current challenges.
Under the agreement, IFC will help the Rwanga Foundation deliver business skills training to up to 1000 refugees and internally displaced people every year by building the capacity of its trainers, providing customized content, and conducting regular assessments. Rwanga’s aim is to improve access to education and educational standards in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and beyond.
“Over 3 million people have been displaced and moved from their home towns during the past few years,” said Abdulsalam Medeni, Chief Executive Director of Rwanga Foundation. “Our partnership with IFC will help us deliver vital business training for them, helping them to find jobs, build their own projects if they are unemployed, and support growth for those who are already employed.”
IFC has a long history of designing skills programs to improve management capacity and business performance. These include training in key managerial areas like finance, marketing, quality, HR, and personal productivity skills. Internationally, IFC has access to around 500 trainers and 91 highly skilled training providers who have delivered this type of training to more than 200,000 individuals across 64 countries.
“Our partnership with Rwanga has provided us with a new and creative way to reach Iraq’s refugees and internally displaced people,” said Ziad Badr, IFC Principal Country Officer in Iraq. "People inside the camps are eager to provide for their families and communities. Through the business skills training program, we are giving them the skills to help them become productive and find jobs and new lives in their hosting communities."
The agreement is part of IFC’s Fast Iraq project, which aims to enhance the business performance of Iraqi micro, small and medium enterprises by developing their managerial capacities. IFC has already helped over 12,000 individuals in Iraq improve their business skills.
It is also part of IFC strategy in Iraq to help the private sector develop a non-oil diversified economy, and address the challenges that hinder job creation and business development.
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in emerging markets. Working with 2,000 businesses worldwide, we use our six decades of experience to create opportunity where it’s needed most. In FY16, our long-term investments in developing countries rose to nearly $19 billion, leveraging our capital, expertise and influence to help the private sector end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. For more information, visit www.ifc.org
Stay Connected
www.facebook.com/IFCmena
www.twitter.com/IFC_MENA
www.youtube.com/IFCvideocasts
www.ifc.org/SocialMediaIndex
www.instagram.com\ifc_org
About Rwanga Foundation:
For more information, visit www.rwanga.org