Partnering for shared success

Tamkeen has been an instrumental player on Bahrain’s economic diversification journey over the past 17 years. It has done a great deal to popularize ideas around entrepreneurship, economic participation, the importance of skill development, and many other things that contribute to the Kingdom’s ambitions. This track record reflects Tamkeen’s broad mandate which crystalizes above around the dual goal of “making the private sector the driver of growth” and “making the Bahraini the employee of choice.” 

As its name suggests, Tamkeen is an organization designed as an enabler. It collaborates with a range of other entities and individuals to deliver on its mandate. These range from local banks and training institutes to the actual beneficiaries of Tamkeen’s support. Tamkeen’s role almost invariably is to provide funding through its various programs and other interventions. But the mobilization of this funding for economic impact in keeping with the mandate is effectively left to the partners and beneficiaries of the Fund.  In other words, Tamkeen’s ability to deliver on its mandate is for all intents and purposes determined by the ability of its partners and beneficiaries to spend the funding in ways that are consistent with that mandate. This reality puts an onus on all concerned for delivering on the mandate. Tamkeen’s funding is not a gift, not a subsidy, not relief. Rather, it is an investment in the development journey of the Bahraini economy.  

The responsibility for ensuring that Tamkeen’s spending delivers an impact is a shared responsibility. Much of the onus for ensuring that Tamkeen’s resources are spent right falls on the Fund itself. There is a need for an effective and efficient application process that properly profiles the beneficiaries and accurately identifies their needs. The design of the programs and interventions must be consistent with their intended impact. The performance of the programs must be monitored on an ongoing basis in order to identify challenges and opportunities for improvement.  

But whether Tamkeen itself does cannot be enough. In order to align expectations, the objectives of Tamkeen’s programs must be effectively and consistently communicated to the market. Part of maximizing the probability of the desired outcomes is establishing a shared understanding of what the programs are seeking to accomplish and why. Success in delivery requires a shared vision and commitment on the part of the Fund and its “implementing partners.” 

Since Tamkeen is tasked with administering public resources, there is an obvious need for compliance and monitoring. Tamkeen provides its funding under contracts that stipulate the responsibilities of the two sides. Tamkeen’s Monitoring Department is tasked with ensuring that the contractual terms are honored but also the funding delivers the impact it is supposed to. 

But ultimately, compliance alone cannot guarantee impact. Tamkeen’s ability to realize its aspirations hinges on the effectiveness with which it can bring about shared success. Realizing the Fund’s mandate requires a shared sense of responsibility by Tamkeen and its beneficiaries and other partners. To this end, Tamkeen’s partners and beneficiaries must commit to spending the funds in keeping the goals of the programs and the objectives stated in their applications. The funding is dedicated for economic development and change. But bringing about that development and change is ultimately in the hands of the individuals and entities that receive Tamkeen funding. 

Tamkeen and its partners and beneficiaries in the national development effort should all see themselves as guardians of the capital that is earmarked for delivering economic change. Success is economic impact, and impact depends on the effectiveness with which funding is put into productive use and stated aspirations turned into reality. While the cost of contractual violations for individuals may be penalties and legal repercussions, the real cost for the community is a failure to reap opportunities. Funds not spent as intended impose a cost on the economy through less value creation and fewer or less valuable employment opportunities. Tamkeen’s funding is an important investment in Bahrain’s future. Funds misused entail no or even negative returns on investment. But it is the scale and quality of investment that above all determines the ability of the private sector to drive growth and create job opportunities that a skilled population deserves.  

The public holds a collective responsibility to safeguard public funds, ensuring they are used effectively and ethically. Therefore, Tamkeen has launched a dedicated whistleblowing hotline to the public that allows them report any suspicious cases or misuse of the support funds. Individuals can confidentially submit any suspected cases via Tamkeen’s website at www.Tamkeen.bh//whistleblowing-form, or through the dedicated hotline for reporting violations at 17383383 or via email report@tamkeen.bh.