Programme Overview

JIMF initiated a pilot scheme in November 2008 for its Micro-finance programme involving 10 Charedi women and 10 Arab  women all from Jerusalem seeking to build or to expand small businesses. In cooperation with two leading training service providers, the Jerusalem Business Development Centre (MATI) and the Freelance Group, JIMF has designed a programme to maximise the chances of success of these participants.

The pilot provided invaluable learning experience for subsequent programmes. More emphasis has been placed upon ensuring that the women take personal ownership of the business plans.

Overall, the pilot’s success was evident through the continued enthusiastic participation of the trainees, the credibility of the emergent business plans, repayment of loans (including training loans to cover the cost of the training), and the employment, revenue, sustainability and profitability of the businesses.

On that basis, subsequent programmes with similar numbers of women have been developed.

Standard Programme Content:

• Group training sessions (32hrs over two months) covering the essentials of business development and allowing participants to discuss their individual experiences, dreams and challenges with their trainer and with each other.
  
  
• Pre-loan personal mentoring (5hrs) aiming to help each participant with practical issues for launching or expanding her business.
  
  

• Preparing a business plan in cooperation with professional consultants.
  
  
• Business loans for qualifying  participants from each group (averaging around US$5,OOO), depending on the strength of the business plan, the integration of the project in the community through guarantors, and the lack of alternative financing options. Alternatively, women who meet their citizenship requirements are supported in their application for business loans from IFLA (the Israel Free Loan Association).
  
  
• Post-loan personal mentoring (at least 6hrs) to help overcome inevitable hurdles during the vital early stages of business development.

Businesses supported include the following sectors: nurseries, graphic design, clothing, educational workshops, pastries, jewellery, decorative pottery, hair salons.


Business Clubs

From the pilots, a demand has also arisen for continuing involvement – in response, in 2011, JIMF is establishing overlapping business clubs. (See separate tab.)