Advancing solutions for livelihoods, dignity, and sustainable development

In places where protracted crisis and inequality have eroded traditional livelihoods - social enterprises are stepping up to offer practical and dignified alternatives.

Four locally-led enterprises in Lebanon and Jordan are the latest to join Alfanar’s SUSTAIN catalytic grant portfolio as part of our ASPIRE-VP programme, Addressing Social Protection in the Region through Venture Philanthropy, funded by RDPP III.

Additionally, two grantees have joined our Jordan portfolio, under the Building Pathways to Sustainable Livelihood programme, funded by the European Union, and in partnership with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD).

These enterprises focus on increasing employment, creating decent jobs, and improving vulnerable communities in Lebanon and Jordan through local innovation.

Meet the Grantees:

Ardi Ardak ("My Land is Your Land") is transforming abandoned land in Lebanon into productive farmland through community-led cooperatives. Their model supports vulnerable families—particularly women—by providing access to land, agricultural training, and the tools needed to grow and sell organic produce. To date, over 15,000 sqm of land have been cultivated, benefitting more than 60 farming families. Now returning to Alfanar’s portfolio as a long-term grantee, Ardi Ardak is building on its early success as an accelerator graduate. Our support will help strengthen its production systems and expand its reach more communities in need.

La Boutique Sociale is a circular economy social enterprise that collects, curates, and sells secondhand clothes through community shops and pop-ups, with revenue funding social programmes for women and youth. With more than 15,000 reused items and three shops in operation, they are reshaping attitudes around reuse and offering affordable options for low-income communities. Alfanar is supporting its growth and digital transformation.

KUVRD is a fashion-forward social enterprise bridging cultural heritage with economic empowerment. They create apparel, accessories, and homeware that blend modern design with traditional crafts preserving heritage like Tatreez (Palestinian embroidery) and Hadab (Jordanian threading). They have trained over 80 underserved artisans—including refugees, women, and youth—and employed more than 50 of them in fair-wage opportunities that preserve cultural identity and connect their craft to global market. After graduating from our accelerator, Alfanar will now support KUVRD to refine their business model, improve production, and expand regional and international sales.

AlFarouq Charity Association is a long-standing community organisation providing holistic support to orphans, refugees, and low-income families. Their services span healthcare access through two medical centers, free educational support for over 350 students, urgent relief, and economic empowerment. With Alfanar’s support, Alfarouq aims to establish a vocational training and employment hub designed to create sustainable livelihoods and ensure direct employment pathways for graduates securing a financial future for many vulnerable individuals.

Alefredo EdTech provides innovative educational solutions through three main pillars: a marketplace for second-hand books across multiple curricula; an AI-powered test bank and library of teachers’ notes offering students useful learning resources; and Intilaq Academy. With Alfanar’s support, they will expand this academy which serves as a training platform that supports teachers to increase their income through tutoring and improves the quality of services in schools by strengthening their skillsets while also offering students tutoring at 40% below market rates.

Baraka Destinations is a community-based tourism enterprise offering 2 guest accommodations located in the north of Jordan and 17 authentic cultural and ecological experiences available to guests around accommodations. By retaining 73% of tourism revenue locally and engaging women and youth in 67% of roles, Baraka combines economic empowerment with cultural preservation. With Alfanar’s backing, the enterprise will advance its marketing, facilities, and bookings—adding new income opportunities by 2025 and increasing their efforts in preserving the cultural heritage of the areas they operate in.

These enterprises are not only meeting urgent local needs—they are proving that community-rooted models can deliver scalable, sustainable impact.

But growth-stage social enterprises often lack the capital, structure, and strategic support needed to grow. That is where Alfanar comes in. Through a combination of flexible funding, tailored training, and one-on-one management support, we help build the internal systems and capabilities needed to achieve long-term resilience—from financial modelling and cost recovery planning to digital transformation and impact measurement.

This is not charity. It is patient, catalytic investment in the people and models driving change from the ground up.

Let us grow what works.

Donate today and power the Arab world’s impact economy.