The Prime Minister, Hesham Qandil, has recently emphasised the State's interest in the micro-enterprise sector, which he described as ‘an instrument of socio-economic development'. In an address to a micro-enterprise conference in Alexandria, the Prime Minister said that the government has instructed the Social Fund for Development to increase its loans to micro-enterprises in conjunction with civil society institutions and financing organisations. The term ‘micro-enterprise' describes an approach towards helping the poor and their communities by providing sustainable jobs to impoverished people through the creation of ultra-small (micro) businesses. This might mean, for example, a single table selling used shoes in an open marketplace. Or a street vendor with an inventory of used jeans spread out on a blanket. Developed over the last decade, micro-enterprise has become a global movement supported by hundreds of governments, business leaders, not-for-profits and NGOs, researchers and social change advocates. The concept itself is simple, an embodiment of the old saying, “Give a man a fish, he will eat for a day; give him a way to fish, and he will eat for a lifetime". Micro-enterprises have proved to be an effective means of fighting poverty through job creation. While charity creates mostly positive short-term impact, jobs create sustained income. This in term passes through the local economy, creating more jobs and eventually a self-sufficient community. Thus, micro-enterprise is one of the most effective ways that create sustained, positive change in places, where poor people have virtually no way to earn a living. Simply stated, micro-enterprises create an opportunity for people to support themselves. Micro-enterprises are small businesses that generally do not have many employees, usually ten or fewer, and often start with a relatively small seed capital. These businesses often need small or micro-loans to get started and run. Governments and civil organisations often supply these businesses with funds to expand or improve their services, especially if they are providing services in unprivileged communities. Micro-enterprises add value to a country's economy not only by creating jobs, but—eventually—by enhancing income, strengthening purchasing power, lowering costs and adding business convenience. In developing countries, micro-enterprises comprise the vast majority of the small business sector — a result of the relative lack of formal sector jobs available for the poor. In developing countries, they tend to be the most frequent form/size of business. In all cases, however, micro-entrepreneurs operate micro-enterprises not by choice, but out of necessity. In many countries, developed, as well as developing, a significant portion of the economically active population are micro-entrepreneurs. Not surprisingly, women constitute a larger percentage. It is argued that women tend to devote their income, proportionately, more to their households than do men. Therefore, it is recommended that micro-enterprise training programmes, as well as loans and grants be less gender-neutral and should be diversified to address the central challenges of women's businesses.
