In May 2026, two Jordanian social enterprises supported through Alfanar’s SUSTAIN programme visited Egypt on a study mission designed to expose them to innovative social impact practices, facilitate peer learning, explore opportunities for collaboration, and support their long-term growth. The visit forms part of Alfanar’s broader approach to strengthening social enterprises through international exposure and knowledge exchange. Since 2014, Alfanar has organized similar study missions to countries including India, Bangladesh, Egypt and France, enabling investees to learn from successful models and explore new pathways for scaling their impact.

Over the course of a week, representatives from OrganicG and Darat Space engaged with a diverse range of Egyptian social enterprises and ecosystem actors working in sustainable agriculture, employment, entrepreneurship, food systems, and community development. Guided by clearly defined learning objectives, the mission created a valuable platform for practical exchange, critical reflection, and peer-to-peer learning among organizations facing similar opportunities and challenges across the region.

The experience proved highly valuable for both Jordanian enterprises. Beyond gaining exposure to new ideas and approaches, participants were able to explore practical solutions to common operational challenges, identify opportunities for growth and collaboration, and share lessons from their own experiences. The mission reinforced the importance of regional knowledge exchange in accelerating social innovation and strengthening impact-driven organizations.

OrganicG: Learning from Sustainable Agriculture in Practice

For OrganicG, one of the highlights of the visit was a trip to Minya, where the team met with Life Vision and participated in one of its Farmer Field Schools (FFS), engaging directly with farmers, trainers, and students. This provided first-hand insight into how farmer-centred learning approaches can strengthen agricultural livelihoods and encourage the adoption of sustainable farming practices. The team also visited the Faculty of Organic Agriculture at Heliopolis University and the Egyptian Biodynamic Association (EBDA) to learn about Egypt’s experience in organic agriculture, biodynamic farming, and emerging carbon credit opportunities. Throughout the visit, OrganicG shared its own expertise in food manufacturing and value-chain development, creating opportunities for mutual learning and future collaboration.

Darat Space: Exploring Entrepreneurship and Community Engagement

Darat Space followed a different learning pathway focused on entrepreneurship, employment, and community engagement. The team visited the Greek Campus, one of Egypt’s leading entrepreneurship hubs, to gain a deeper understanding of the startup ecosystem and the support structures available to emerging enterprises. Additional visits included Career 180, Giza Systems Foundation, Etijah, and Dawar Kitchen, where discussions explored employment pathways for young people, skills development, social entrepreneurship, and community-centred programming. These exchanges highlighted how locally rooted initiatives can create economic opportunities while fostering social connection, participation, and a sense of belonging.

The Value of Peer-to-Peer Learning

The study mission demonstrated the unique value of peer-to-peer learning as a catalyst for social enterprise growth. Unlike traditional training programmes, study missions enable practitioners to observe successful models in action, engage directly with those implementing them, and gain practical insights into both achievements and challenges. They provide a space to test assumptions, challenge existing practices, and identify innovations that can be adapted to different contexts. Equally important, they build relationships and trust among social entrepreneurs facing similar development challenges, laying the groundwork for future collaboration, knowledge sharing, and joint initiatives.

In a region where many social enterprises operate with limited opportunities for cross-border engagement, study missions serve as a powerful mechanism for strengthening the social entrepreneurship ecosystem. By facilitating the exchange of proven practices, encouraging collaboration, and exposing organizations to new ways of thinking, they help social enterprises accelerate their growth, improve their effectiveness, and ultimately increase the scale and sustainability of their impact.

OrganicG is a social enterprise under Alfanar's Building Pathways to Sustainable Livelihoods programme, co-funded by the European Union and implemented by Alfanar, Danish Refugee Council, and JOHUD. Darat Space is a social enterprise under Alfanar's Aspire-VP Programme, funded by RDPP III.