Title: Samim
Date: June 2022 to June 2025
Location: Jordan, Tunisia, Morroco, Muritania
Donor: EU Commission
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are critical agents of change in local communities, bringing a unique perspective, expertise, and resources to address complex social, economic, and environmental challenges. As key partners in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, CSOs are essential for building sustainable cities and creating a better world for all.
The SAMIM project is a multi-country initiative that seeks to strengthen civil society by supporting young actors of change in the southern shore of the Mediterranean. By financing projects that promote sustainable and inclusive practices in Nouakchott, Casablanca, Tunis, and Amman, SAMIM aims to foster dialogue, visibility, and positive social impact on youth, while promoting gender equality and inclusivity. With 50% of the projects funded being led by women, SAMIM responds to the needs of the most vulnerable populations, ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.
The program started in June 2022 and will continue until June 2025 with the objective to contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 11 and 12 (SDGs). This means the selected projects will revolve around the following thematic areas:
JYIF will work as a Support Structure in Jordan, one of the four countries of intervention. The other Supporting Structures are Ecodev in Mauritania, Bidaya in Morocco, and the Tunisian Center for Social Entrepreneurship in Tunisia.
JYIF’s role will be to facilitate the active participation of CSOs in society through offering training in the form of a boot camp and tailored individual support sessions.
The first phase of the project involves a call for projects, which invites CSOs to submit their innovative ideas for tackling complex social, economic, and environmental challenges in these cities. The aim of this phase is to identify the most promising projects and select the most committed and motivated organizations to participate in the capacity-building boot camp. Read more about the eligibility criteria here
The next phase of the project involves pre-selecting 18 projects to join the boot camp and benefit from individualized support sessions. During the boot camp, participants will attend workshops and engage in co-construction and collective reflection exercises to help them better structure their ideas before submitting full applications. The objective is to challenge project leaders to think strategically and plan their projects on three levels: strategic, operational, and budgetary.
Once the boot camp is complete, participants will submit their full applications and pitch their ideas to the jury/funding committee. This committee will select six projects to receive 30,000-40,000 euros in grant funding. This funding will enable the CSOs to move their projects forward and make a positive impact in their communities.
Finally, the JYIF (Jordanian Youth Innovation Forum) will sustain support sessions and grant management to ensure that the projects are effectively implemented and achieve their intended outcomes. This ongoing support is critical to the success of the projects and helps to ensure that the CSOs are well-equipped to navigate the complex challenges they will face as they work to create positive change in their communities.
In conclusion, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are crucial partners in building sustainable cities and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The Samim project is a testament to the importance of supporting and empowering CSOs in their efforts to create positive change in their local communities. Through Samim’s focus on financing projects that promote sustainable and inclusive practices, we can work towards a more equitable and just future for all. We believe that investing in the capacity building of young civil society actors is key to driving progress towards sustainable cities and a better tomorrow.
Learn about the different phases of the projects here
The Consortium is comprised of: Implemented by Lab’ess, in partnership with Pulse Group and the support structures: Jordan Youth Innovation Forum (JYIF) – in Jordan, Ecodev in Mauritania, Bidaya in Morocco, and the Tunisian Center for Social Entrepreneurship in Tunisia.
