Oman Oil Marketing Company, in collaboration with Al Raffd Fund continues to support Oman’s entrepreneurial community with the company’s Tasweik Initiative. For the third consecutive year, Tasweik will offer 10 applicants a chance to win OMR 8,000 each to support their marketing and brand development, helping take their businesses to the next level. Tasweik 2018 was launched at a special ceremony held under the patronage of H.E. Hamad bin Khamis Al Amri, Undersecretary for Labour Affairs at the Ministry of Manpower. The ceremony also included the announcement of the 2017 winners and was attended by Oman Oil Marketing Company’s management, as well as representatives from Al Raffd Fund and aspiring Omani entrepreneurs.

Tariq Al Farsi, CEO at Al Raffd Fund, said “Spurred by the success in 2016 and 2017, we have yet again signed with Oman Oil Marketing Company to bring back Tasweik for the third year in a row. Tasweik is part of our efforts to contribute to the development of local SMEs, offering them a platform that will propel their businesses to the next level.”

Al Farsi, added “Al Raffd Fund will continue to seek partnerships with various stakeholders to help and develop Oman’s economy with the creation of new and diverse employment opportunities. It is a pleasure to partner with Oman Oil Marketing Company who are continuously supporting the SME sector in the Sultanate. This joint collaboration is a prime example to encourage the public and private sector to join our efforts to develop this vital sector and empower Omani talent to continue developing the national economy.”

Tasweik, a nation-wide initiative is designed to nurture and develop the SME community by providing Omani entrepreneurs with the means to build a successful business. A joint committee comprising of members from Oman Oil Marketing Company and Al Raffd Fund award a total of OMR 80,000 to ten selected SMEs. Coupled with the funds, the entrepreneurs will also receive guidance on branding and marketing strategies allowing their businesses to organically expand.

David Kalife, Chief Executive Officer of Oman Oil Marketing Company said, “Tasweik is designed to empower small and medium enterprises with the tools to build their brand, leverage marketing opportunities and ultimately grow their business operations and reach. Oman Oil Marketing Company is committed to support aspiring Omani talent and entrepreneurs, empowering them to reach their full potential. This initiative has opened channels of collaboration between us and Omani SMEs across the Sultanate, helping us better understand their needs to achieve sustainable success.”

Continuing on with the success from previous years, last year’s winners were announced and included Sultan Al Siyabi, Ayman Ismaili, Fahad Alsaqari, Jasem Al Maharbi, Khalid Al Nabhani, Majid Al Muzaini, Khalid Harthy, Ali Al Rashdi, Khamis Al Badi and Amani Al Ghafri.

The initiative is open to SMEs that are already receiving funds from Al Raffd Fund without reaching the maximum funds cap of OMR 100,000. Participants are required to meet All Raffd’s rating criteria and prove profitability over the past three months. A joint committee with members from both Oman Oil Marketing Company and Al Raffd Fund evaluate all applications, choosing ten winners. Prospective participants can share their applications through: alraffd.gov.om or www.oomco.com/ from the 27th of June to the 30th of August 2018.