In the beginning of 2015, SE Forum partnered with Global Platforms and ActionAid Arab Region Initiative in Jordan, to promote social entrepreneurship in and around the country. Staff members from SE Forum conducted a “Training of Trainers” in Amman, where 12 local trainers were equipped with skills to support social entrepreneurs in the region.
In November we visited them in Amman to see what had happened after we last met. Since April this year they have trained 47 social entrepreneurs from scratch and many of them have already started their operations.

All of the entrepreneurs work in teams. One group call their enterprise Nabta wa Tanaka (which means “plant in a can”). They collect large, used tin cans and buckets and plant herbs and vegetables in them using egg shells as organic fertilizer. After decorating the cans in beautiful patterns they sell them to people in their community at a cheap price.

Many people in Jordan use mint leaves in their tea, so instead of having to go to the store every day to buy fresh leaves they can pick them from the plant in the tin can which will last them much longer and cost them less. Nabta wa Tanaka are also looking at selling the cans at a higher price to the artsy cafes and restaurants around Amman.

Their vision is that every household in Amman will grow their own vegetables on their roof and that organic food will be accessible for everyone, no matter what their level of income is.

So far SE trainings have been held in Jordan and Lebanon. Next year Global Platforms will expand their social entrepreneurship trainings in the region to also include Tunisia and Egypt.

We wish them the best of luck and look forward to learning more about their progress!

Follow us on Instagram @seforum to read more about the social entrepreneurs we met in Amman.