JEDDAH: Bab Rizq Jameel (BRJ), an initiative of ALJ Community Initiatives, announced that it created 16,898 job opportunities - still to be verified by external auditors - through its branches in Egypt, Syria and Turkey in 2010. This is in addition to the 45,010 job opportunities that BRJ created in Saudi Arabia. Maaz Al-Faramawi, BRJ International Branches executive director, said that BRJ's International operation is still in its infancy. He added that the 2010 results were achieved through the Egypt and Syria branches only, while the Turkey branch was only inaugurated in October 2010. According to Al-Faramawi, approximately 60,000 job opportunities will be created in 2011. “BRJ created 10,691 jobs in Egypt and 5,986 in Syria, in addition to 221 in Turkey, totaling 16,898 jobs, with a non-repayment ratio of only 0.255 percent. We are seeking to expand to all Middle Eastern countries,” Al-Faramawi added. BRJ Egypt Bab Rizq Jameel inaugurated the first BRJ branch in Egypt in 2009, and created 6,910 job opportunities in the same year. In 2010, the performance of the branch was successfully upgraded, with an increase in the number of jobs created. Accordingly, the branch created 10,691 job opportunities during 2010, representing 63 percent of the overall job opportunities created internationally. Sayed Al-Ghol, BRJ Egypt's director, stated that in mid-2010, BRJ activity in Egypt expanded geographically and jobs were created to cover the Giza and Cairo areas. The Giza team created 8,799 job opportunities through productive households, 963 through small projects finance, 76 through truck ownership and 16 through training. This amounted to a total of 9,854 job opportunities. Starting late in 2010, the Cairo team created 400 job opportunities through the productive households and 437 through the small projects finance programs, for a total of 837 job opportunities. Al-Ghol said that BRJ is planning to open new branches in Egypt this year. During 2011, BRJ Egypt is planning to create 30,000 job opportunities through four branches. Al-Ghol added that the repayment ratio in BRJ Egypt for the productive households and small projects finance programs was 99.84 percent by the end of 2010. Examples of small projects financed by BRJ Egypt include tricycle ownership, production of leather products, aluminum products, mechanics and turnery workshops, tailor workshops, jewelry, mobile phones, herb sellers, accessories and gifts, warehouses, supermarket and dairy products, honey, fruits and vegetables, confectioneries, and furnishings. BRJ Syria Essam Rustom, BRJ Syria director, said that the Tortoos branch created 5,672 job opportunities in 2010 through the productive household program (4,164 job opportunities) and through the small projects finance program (1,505 job opportunities). The Damascus branch started operating late in 2010, and created 314 job opportunities, including 25 through productive households and 89 through the small projects finance programs. Projects included agricultural products, fertilizers, green houses, cow ownership, steel fixing workshops, accessories shops, herb shops, tailoring workshops, men's wear, ladies wear, home appliances, cleaning products and tools, supermarkets, makeup and barber shops. Rustom added that BRJ Syria is supported by the government and the private sector. He said the Syrian market provides great possibilities for creating job opportunities, adding that BRJ Syria is planning to create 25,000 job opportunities during 2011 through three branches soon to open there. Repayment ratio in BRJ Syria was 99.69 percent. BRJ Turkey Fatih Ghul, BRJ Turkey director, said that BRJ Turkey was inaugurated in Istanbul in October 2010. The branch created 221 job opportunities through its diversified programs. Through the productive household program, 96 females have been financed, in addition to one project through the small projects finance program. A total of 39 job opportunities have been created through the direct employment program, in addition to 85 through the training and employment program. According to Ghul, the Istanbul branch is in a prominent location and has many job creation specialists. During 2011, BRJ Turkey is seeking to create 5,000 job opportunities.
