Soros Economic Development Fund commits $8 million to GroFin’s Nomou Jordan Fund
GroFin is pleased to announce that Soros Economic Development Fund has committed $8 million to its Nomou Jordan Fund.
GroFin specializes in financing and supporting small business growth across Africa and the Middle East. Its Nomou Jordan Fund provides patient capital and business support services to small and medium-size businesses (SMEs) in Jordan and thereby contributing to the growth of Jordan’s economy and the creation of sustainable jobs. The business support services include helping to position emerging SMEs to be investment ready and networking them to local and international business opportunities.
The Nomou Jordan Fund was launched in 2014 and as of 30 June 2018 has invested $21 million in 35 SMEs in Jordan, out of which $9 million was invested in 14 SMEs owned by or employing refugees. Over the next two years the Fund will deploy at least $5 million in additional capital such SMEs, which tend to be underserved by traditional lenders.
In addition to the financial investment, GroFin will also provide these SMEs with business support at pre-finance and post-finance stages, including helping to get the enterprises investment-ready and making connections to local and international business opportunities. In addition, GroFin will encourage all of the 50+ SMEs in its portfolio in Jordan to support refugees, either through employment or providing products and services to refugee communities.
The investments by the Nomou Jordan Fund have been made possible with the support of its investors including Shell Foundation, KFW, Lundin Foundation, UK Aid, GroFin Capital and the most recent commitment from the Open Society Foundations’ Soros Economic Development Fund.
GroFin CEO, Guido Boysen said:
“With this additional funding from the Open Society Foundations, Nomou Jordan Fund will be able to expand its reach and focus to make its investments in a more inclusive way, by improving livelihoods for Jordanians as well as members of the country’s substantial refugee population”
