Basel Rahmy, CEO of the Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (MSMEDA), has announced the launch of a new financing initiative, the Hirfa Microfinance Project, in collaboration with Aman. With a budget of EGP 25m, the programme is designed to support micro-scale artisanal and heritage projects that hold valid tax cards and commercial registrations. The funding is intended to help artisans establish new businesses or expand existing ones, particularly in underserved regions and border governorates. Rahmy stressed that this financing opportunity is open to all artisans across the country, not just those participating in the Turathna (Our Heritage) exhibition. He encouraged artisans to formalize their businesses under legal frameworks to fully benefit from government services, which include access to regional, central, and international exhibitions. MSMEDA's comprehensive approach to supporting the artisanal and heritage sector encompasses financial, technical, and marketing assistance. These services aim to empower businesses, create job opportunities, and promote the economic inclusion of women. To further this goal, MSMEDA organized a training workshop for exhibitors in the sixth edition of the Turathna exhibition. The session, which attracted 100 on-site exhibitors and hundreds more online from various governorates, focused on modern marketing strategies, pricing techniques, packaging, contract management, and exhibition display standards. This initiative reflects MSMEDA's ongoing commitment to enhancing artisans' marketing capabilities and preparing them to succeed in national and international exhibitions. The agency's efforts also aim to improve artisans' economic prospects, with a particular focus on empowering women. The sixth edition of Turathna, the region's largest platform for handicrafts and heritage, will be inaugurated under the patronage of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi on 12 December. The workshop was attended by MSMEDA CEO Basel Rahmy, along with Deputy CEOs Raafat Abbas and Hatem El-Ashry, and was organized in partnership with UNIDO, the Canadian Embassy, Egypt Post, eFinance, and other key marketing and e-payment stakeholders.
