In May 2023, Mastercard announced the return of ‘Her Voice’ podcast series, a platform empowering small businesses in Saudi Arabia. To provide added value to women entrepreneurs in the Kingdom, Mastercard collaborated with Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB). They offered an exceptional female entrepreneur a chance to be featured in the final episode of the season, along with a $30,000 business grant.
Kholoud Attar, a serial entrepreneur, and founder of KAAPH Media, won ‘Her Voice’. Her company publishes Design Magazine and Saudi Metaverse drb. Attar’s business acumen aligns well with Mastercard’s approach to supporting female entrepreneurs in the Kingdom. Mastercard aims to empower them with digital payment solutions, data insights, and innovative tools. The goal is to help these entrepreneurs grow and thrive while running their enterprises more efficiently and securely.
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Driving economic growth
Yasser Al-Barrak, CEO of Corporate and Institutional Banking at SAB, delightedly announced Kholoud Attar as the recipient of the SME grant. This grant resulted from a collaboration with Mastercard. SAB firmly believes in entrepreneurship and innovation. The bank recognizes the critical role that small businesses play in driving economic growth and diversification. By providing support and resources to small businesses, SAB aims to unlock the untapped potential of the SME sector in Saudi Arabia. The organization hopes that this grant will inspire and encourage aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women, across the Kingdom.
Exceptional creativity
Similarly, Maria Medvedeva, the country manager for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain at Mastercard, admired the unmatched passion of small businesses and entrepreneurs in the Kingdom. She acknowledged their continuous efforts to raise the bar. Mastercard felt proud to grant this opportunity to Kholoud Attar, an exceptional female entrepreneur who demonstrated remarkable creativity, determination, and resilience.
Medvedeva stressed the significance of empowering women in Saudi Arabia, recognizing them as a significant untapped market. Mastercard firmly believes that enabling women to establish and expand their own businesses is essential for promoting sustainable economic development and advancing social progress.
Pleasant surprise
Kholoud Attar, the winner of Mastercard Her Voice season two, expressed her appreciation for receiving the grant. She is a strong advocate for empowering female entrepreneurs in the Kingdom. Attar considered the grant to be a delightful surprise, providing additional support for her efforts to uplift Saudi women. She conveyed her gratitude to Mastercard and SAB for selecting her as the winner and offering her the opportunity to share her journey and future aspirations on the ‘Her Voice’ platform.
Furthermore, Mastercard has made a commitment to connect 25 million women entrepreneurs worldwide to the digital economy by 2025. The goal is to provide them with access to digital tools, training, insights, and solutions that can empower their businesses.
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