About Us

Al Tamkeen is a Lebanese Non Profit Non Governmental Organization (NGO) officially registered in 2002 under notification no. 159/AD. Al Tamkeen aims at improving the social, cultural, and economical and health livelihood of rural Lebanese citizens through providing various types of assistance programs and development projects.

Studying the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and strengths of rural Lebanon, Al Tamkeen discovered that 86% of enterprises in Lebanon are small and medium scale. Al Tamkeen also concluded that productive economic activity in rural areas is often limited by the inability of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and individuals to obtain loans, a significant engine for growth and source of employment in rural areas. 

Al Tamkeen also realized that economic stagnation is more prominent in districts where residents were displaced during the devastating Lebanese civil war or forced to migrate to urban centers seeking job opportunity. Al Tamkeen also noted that specific measurement of unemployment rate is not available; however, it is estimated that unemployment is more than 16% and especially concentrated in deprived, remote, and rural areas. 

Consequently Al Tamkeen designed and implemented a rural enterprise development program that includes the provision of micro and small loans to start-up or develop businesses in rural Lebanon coupled with capacity building for rural enterprises. This program aims at creating jobs and increasing the income of rural families, and thus promotes economic incentives to enhance return of the displaced and reduce migration of rural residents to urban areas.

Working with several local and international financial institutions mainly Byblos Bank and Banca di Roma, Al Tamkeen provides micro and small loans (up to 3000 USD per loan for commercial enterprise and up to 8000 USD per loan for agriculture or agro-industrial enterprise). Al Tamkeen initiated is activities in the districts of Baabda, Aley, and Chouf in 2003 then expanded its targeted geographic area to include West Bekaa, Rashaya, and Hasbaya districts in 2005; future plans include further expansion to cover all Lebanese districts. To date, Al Tamkeen has succeeded in providing loans valued USD 970,000 to start and develop more than 352 rural enterprises. These loans contributed in creating more 241 new businesses and increasing the income of each beneficiary by at least $4500 per year.