Mubaderoon inspiration from Jordan
By Plan International
Imagine living in a marginalised community in Jordan, where poverty, social exclusion, and high unemployment rates are a daily struggle for many. Perhaps you are a woman, a youth, living with a disability or with a refugee status – leaving you discriminated against, harassed and hindered from finding a (decent) job. It’s not an easy life. In 2019, Plan International teamed up with Ruwwad, Alfanar, and EURICSE to change this reality. They launched “Mubaderoon,” meaning “pioneers,” to support social enterprises, especially those led by communities, youth, and individuals with disabilities or refugee status, in their mission to combat poverty and exclusion in Jordan.
Innovation and results
Mubaderoon tackles poverty and social exclusion simultaneously by empowering disadvantaged individuals to access to work opportunities and generate income. It builds on and uses existing community resources, knowledge, and experiences to achieve this goal. Entrepreneurs receive financial assistance and comprehensive business training, equipping them with the skills to accelerate the growth of their businesses. The initiative ensures that previously overlooked individuals can now become entrepreneurs, establishing enterprises to sustain themselves and their communities.
Additionally, Mubaderoon serves as a bridge between vulnerable groups and external audiences, effectively countering discrimination, harassment, and exclusion. Social enterprises play a vital role in addressing challenges within disadvantaged communities as they provide social services and products. Through their efforts, hundreds of jobs have been created for vulnerable individuals who face limited opportunities in the market. Between 2019 and 2022 alone, Mubaderoon achieved financial and technical support for 158 social enterprises (SEs), the expansion of 5 partners at the regional level, 3 support centres for communities and SEs, an advisory panel to improve eco-system policies for SEs, a roadmap policy paper, conferences and networking events for SEs and 7185 direct beneficiaries and 48.000 indirect beneficiaries from their products and services.
Viavii: a Mubaderoon success story
Meet Viavii, a Mubaderoon social enterprise with a unique approach. They specialise in personalised trips by connecting travellers with locals, fellow travellers, and/or travel experts. ViaVii allows travel experiences to be curated by people in marginalised areas. Their innovative model allows travel experiences to be curated by individuals in marginalised areas who might otherwise go unnoticed or lack access to tourist networks. Since 2019, ViaVii has generated over 400 jobs and supported up to 90 home-based businesses.
Travelers get to meet individuals and marginalised communities who are presented with the opportunity to turn their skills, life stories, and passion for travel into sustainable careers. By drawing on their culture and traditions, these individuals can share their stories and reality with visitors and generate an income.
Plan International has played a pivotal role by supporting ViaVii to foster innovation, strengthen capacities, expand its reach, enhance brand credibility and provide financial support. This has been instrumental in enabling ViaVii to make a meaningful impact in local communities and establishing exclusive collaborations with governmental entities and the private sector.
Lessons learnt
Mubaderoon has become Plan International Jordan’s flagship and has inspired numerous projects in the region. Key to sustainability and scalability are Plan International Jordan’s strong commitment, collaboration, creativity and success. Collaborative efforts with various Jordanian ministries, such as the Ministry of Digital Entrepreneurship and Economy, have led to policy recommendations to improve the legal framework for Social Enterprises. The success of Mubaderoon serves as a testament to the transformative power of supporting marginalised individuals as pioneers for social change.