The Khalifa Fund held its first meeting with a new board of directors on Thursday, saying it would focus on empowering Emiratis in various sectors.
Hussain Al Nowais, the fund’s chairman for enterprise development, said it was interested in launching initiatives that promoted entrepreneurship and support small and medium-sized enterprises.
“The fund will continue its efforts to contribute effectively in the process of empowerment for Emiratis in different society segments to enhance the level of social welfare,” he said.
Abdullah Al Darmaki, the fund’s chief executive, made a presentation to introduce its mission and objectives under the new board.
“The fund provides comprehensive programmes to meet the needs of entrepreneurs during their effort to establish or expand their businesses,” he said. “That includes training, development, providing data and counselling services, as well as marketing.”
Mouza Al Nasseri, the fund’s acting chief operations officer, said the fund had launched several social initiatives such as Sougha, which focused on developing the skills of artisans working in handicrafts and traditional crafts as a source of income for them.
About 400 Emiratis have benefited from the Sougha initiative since its launch in 2009.
Other initiatives include Amal, which enables people with special needs, and Al Radda, which helps inmates reintegrate into the community by assisting them with their businesses after completing their jail terms.
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