Doha Bank has organised a “one-of-a-kind” camp for Qatari small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at its West Bay branch inside The Gate Mall, in collaboration with Qatar Development Bank (QDB).
The bank said the activity demonstrates Doha Bank’s “special relationship” with QDB as a “preferred partner” for the ‘Al Dhameen’ programme. The camp was organised by Doha Bank’s SME officials and “well supported” by QDB staff and branch officials, the bank said.
Through the camp, Doha Bank said it showcased its support for the entrepreneurs and SME owners by providing information on financing through the ‘Al-Dhameen’ programme.
Doha Bank said it plans to take the programme to the country’s “young and vibrant population,” which is thriving on youthful and innovative business ideas by organising more camps at other prominent locations in the next one to two months. The bank said it expects to generate a healthy portfolio of ‘Al-Dhameen’ customers in the next two to three years.
Doha Bank Group CEO Dr R Seetharaman stressed that the camps are an “innovative method” being adopted to reach out to the Qatari business owners. He also underscored the importance of ‘Al-Dhameen’ programme in supporting Qatari SMEs to overcome various obstacles due to lack of collateral security or short credit history. 
Seetharaman said the programme aims at encouraging commercial banks to extend credit to key sectors such as manufacturing, education, healthcare, and important services.
Doha Bank said it has demonstrated its long-term commitment to the success of SMEs by supporting diverse and new projects under the Qatar Development Bank’s ‘Al-Dhameen’ credit guarantee programme such as setting up a state-of-the-art battery factory, which will help Qatar meet its requirement for industrial batteries; establishing a dental clinic employing the most advanced equipment or modified bitumen processing factory; and a welding electrodes manufacturing facility, among others. 
All these projects will not only generate local employment but will also enable domestic consumers to meet their demands from these locally made products, the bank said.
Doha Bank said the projects will help the entrepreneurs to realise their goals and also contribute to the Qatari economy by helping it diversify and reduce reliance on oil and gas based industries, and to bring the best know-how to the country. The projects under the ‘Al-Dhameen’ programme “will go a long way in import substitution,” Doha Bank said. Doha Bank said it aims to provide the best of financial services to its customers, and recognises the importance of SME units in the Qatar economy, which is rapidly expanding. 
The bank said it is committed to continue meeting financial requirements of SME sector in Qatar and also through its offices in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Kuwait, and India. Doha Bank said it already enjoys a “sizeable” SME customer base, “strong” corporate and retail business, and has branch presence across the country to meet customers growing requirements. Doha Bank offers complete range of SME products like working capital, term lending, and contract financing products, it said. 
Apart from lending products, Doha Bank also offers specialised services like cash management, payroll products, trade services, customised forex solutions, and insurance solutions, among others.