Citi renews support for the Association for the Development of Rural Capacities

Provided by the Citi Foundation, the social investment arm of Citi, the $20,000 grant supports vocational training of 20 women entrepreneurs between 18 and 30-years old and enhances their technical as well as managerial skills, prepare business plans and apply for a micro credit in order to launch their own business.

The program operates using ADR centers in Tyre, Kfar Kila, and Tibnine as well as other centers provided by municipalities, the Ministry of Social Affairs and other NGOs in Tyre, Marjayoun and Bent Jbeil districts.

This comes at the heels of a 2-year program supported previously by Citi Foundation and delivered by ADR which developed entrepreneurial skills of micro-entrepreneurs in the South through experts who taught participants key business skills such as developing a business plan, basic accounting and marketing, and technical skills such as baking whole meal bread, creating herbal essences, animal health and food hygiene.The program also provided access to advanced literacy in computer and languages, and CST certification (governmental) on software development and secretarial skills. Furthermore, a primary/ secondary education tranche works to reduce school failure, dropouts and child labor through reinforcement classes, culture and leisure activities and training of school teachers.

The Citi-supported vocational programs run by ADR have so far benefited more than 120 entrepreneurs in various areas of the South, including entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector, who received training on Business Management, Food Processing Safety and Hygiene, Product Marketing and Labeling, as well as Plumbing and Electricity.

Mr. Ali Ezzeddine, Vice President for ADR, said:

"The Citi-support vocational programs has enabled ADR to deliver empowerment services that touches the most demanding socio-economic interventions seeking to address the problems of poverty by acknowledging the need to promote human development as Citi and ADR recognizes that people can demonstrate creative potential to improve their standard of living when enabling environments and opportunities are provided to them. ADR together with its local beneficiaries are profoundly grateful to the supportive initiative of Citi and looks forward to continue working together as a response to local community needs."

Walter Siouffi, General Manager for Citi in Lebanon, said: "Citi Beirut and the Citi Foundation are proud to be associated with ADR for the benefit of communities in Lebanon. We look forward to working together with ADR including capacity building in the area of financial education to support their microfinance and vocational training initiatives within the local communities they serve."

Citi's presence in Lebanon dates back to the 1950s. Since re-establishing its fully licensed branch in Beirut over ten years ago, the Bank has evolved into an active corporate citizen, with a particular interest in supporting financial literacy, education and micro-entrepreneurs.