Date: October 17, 2016
In view of the growing interest and increasing number of applicants, Zubair Small Enterprises Centre (Zubair SEC) has extended the deadline for submitting application to the Direct Support Programme for the year 2017.
The last date to submit applications to the Direct Support Programme for the year 2017 will be Thursday, November 3, 2016.
Since the announcing of the fourth edition of the Direct Support Programme in September 2016, Zubair SEC has received a tremendous response from interested applicants from across the Sultanate.
The programme has so far signed up 28 winners through the past three editions. The Direct Support Programme which provides support and mentorship to high-potential novice entrepreneurs and young business owners was first launched in 2013 by Zubair SEC, a social responsibility initiative of The Zubair Corporation.
The Zubair SEC team attributes the great response to the success and achievements accomplished by the winners of the programme in its first three rounds.
Lina Hussein, Head of Communication & Social Impact at Zubair SEC said, “Through the past three years, our flagship Direct Support Programme has been achieving increasing appreciation and recognition by owners of small businesses, entrepreneurs, and several stakeholders from the public and private sectors. This year we are pleased to have on board, leading investment company OmInvest as a strategic partner in support of one seat of the 10 winners seats. They will also extend business development opportunities through their companies to the winners of the Direct Support Programme. Such collaboration and association is a tangible example of prime synergies and bridging relations between large enterprises and SME-supporting organisations such as Zubair SEC”.
She added, “it is to the effect of bridging the gap between large and small enterprises that Zubair SEC has been investing tremendous effort to develop and build credible pioneering programmes and initiatives that would be attractive and reliable for both large and small enterprises to associate with and develop sustainable business relations”.
Zubair SEC’s Direct Support Programme is considered one of the most important competitive programmes in the field of entrepreneurship in the Sultanate. The programme aims to create a spirit of positive competition between Zubair SEC’s members to enrol in the programme, and thus earn a package of essential services to launch and maintain successful and sustainable businesses through set working plans implemented in cooperation between the Centre and the programme members.
The programme rewards its members who show commitment and dedication towards the success of their projects through the sound application of the Centre’s guidance, recommendations and consulting. Projects and members should reflect in proper strategic planning during the course of their business based on a well-planned feasibility study and best business management practices in accordance. The Centre selects a specific number of members each year to join the “Direct Support Programme” who directly benefit from the provided services in addition to a financial grant to support their winning projects.
The main terms and conditions for applying to the programme are: All Omanis are welcome to apply; applicants should have a clear understanding of the type of business they have; applicants need to present a business plan; applicants need to be members at Zubair SEC; non-members are welcome to sign up at the Centre then apply for the Direct Support Programme during the application period; Zubair SEC will accept new applications from current and new members to join the programme and during the months following the launch of the fourth round, projects and the performance of their owners will be assessed accordingly.
For more information on Zubair SEC and the Direct Support Programme, please contact the Communications Office at info@zubairsec.org or call 24737325 for further assistance.