It is twelve months since the Mowgli Foundation ran their first Jordanian Mentoring programme. Taking six business leaders from the UK to Jordan to act as business mentors to local entrepreneurs represented a personal risk for each of the mentees and mentors involved. Twelve months on they have reflected on their experiences and believe the effort was well worthwhile.
“Each person goes on their own heroes' journey when they get involved with Mowgli. The outcome is never certain, but it is always incredibly rewarding”, says Simon Edwards, CEO of the Mowgli Foundation.
Rula Radwan was one of the mentees on the first Jordanian programme. Forced by circumstance, she decided to build a catering business to support her and her family. To turn a sound business idea into reality, she decided to seek the help of a mentor. Rula believes that this help had a major influence on her ability to lead and manage her business.
In the intervening year she has experienced failure when a catering business employing 12 people and supplying 5 hotels in Amman was forced to close as a result of a difficulty with a partnership she had undertaken to grow the business. With a little help and encouragement from her mentor she turned her failure into success finding new premises above Hamley’s (the toy shop) in Amman where she now runs a rapidly growing cafe operation. The steak sandwiches are outstanding!
“This unique experience has also given me the confidence to undertake new challenges and act as a mentor to other entrepreneurs in Jordan”, she said.
Jordan is a country where unemployment and poverty are particularly acute and, like other countries, is suffering during the global economic downturn. Helping the country build its business skills in this manner is a very effective way to encourage long term economic growth and sustained prosperity.
