IslamicFinance.de

Bahrain's Family Bank has opened its new headquarters in the Diplomatic Area of Manama. The ceremony was attended by the bank’s board members, chief executives of contributing banks and economic personalities. The establishment of the Family Bank as a first social bank in Bahrain in 2010 aimed to boost the social security network by the activation of a micro loan-giving mechanism. The bank was set up through partnership between the Labour and Social Development Ministry, the Royal Charity Organisation, the Bank of Bahrain and Kuwait (BBK), Ithmaar Bank, Ahli United Bank and Kuwait Finance House (KFH). It won Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s award for supporting youth projects in 2013.

Tamkeen and Family Bank signed an agreement to add BD2 million to the microfinance support scheme, bringing the programme’s total portfolio value to BD 5 Million. The agreement is part of Tamkeen’s and the Family Bank’s efforts to provide customised Sharia-compliant financing solutions to help micro enterprises, including productive families, to grow, in addition to enabling low-income Bahrainis to establish small businesses. Under the programme, Tamkeen supports 50% of the loan profit. Finance amounts range between BD500 and BD5,000. Tamkeen also provides advisory services to customers.

Tamkeen and Family Bank announced the launch of 'Mantoojati', a joint initiative aimed at enhancing the growth and sustainability of productive families in Bahrain. Through "Mantoojati", the beneficiaries will receive support to set up kiosks in selected shopping malls around the kingdom to market their products and services to a wider customer base. The support will be around BD6000 per applicant and will cover the cost of renting and setting up a booth. This will be complemented by the advisory services already provided to the beneficiaries by Tamkeen and Family Bank. According to Dr. Atef Elshabrawy, CEO of Family Bank, the programme seeks to encourage and motivate local and home-made goods and crafts, which the bank supports through funding and guidance.

Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Charities Organization, Prince Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa inaugurated the Family Bank, a microfinance bank licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain, at a ceremony held at the Gulf Hotel Convention Hall in Bahrain recently.