An initiative that aims to empower the local home-based industry and support small-scale entrepreneurs, the first edition of the 'Made at Home' exhibition, was formally inaugurated by HE the Qatar Central Bank Governor Sheikh Abdullah bin Saud al-Thani on Sunday.

The five-day expo, which runs until Thursday at the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), showcases 144 local home-based businesses offering products in the fields of food and beverage, technology, arts and crafts, perfumery and jewellery, and clothing.
‘Made at Home’ is organised by Qatar Development Bank (QDB), Qatar Chamber, the Ministry of Administrative Development, Labour and Social Affairs (MADLSA), and Ooredoo with the aim of promoting household products and providing a periodic platform for the exchange of experiences and skills among entrepreneurs.
The event gathers a large number of home businesses that are in line with the regulations of the Ministry of Economy and Commerce and are licensed to practice domestic business in many fields.
‘Made at Home’ aims to develop the capabilities and skills of Qatari home businesses in the presentation and marketing, and to provide the opportunity for business owners to present their products and enable them to connect to local markets and overcome the challenges that may face.
Speaking to Gulf Times earlier, QDB CEO Abdulaziz bin Nasser al-Khalifa said ‘Made at Home’ is “an offshoot” of the Home Based Businesses National Programme, an initiative launched by QDB in 2015 to develop and promote home-based businesses and activate their role in the economy.
“In recent times, due to the dynamic growth of Qatar on a large scale, microbusinesses have faced a considerable challenge competing with the many formally-organised local companies and multinational corporations that have entered the market.
“However, by arranging this promotional exhibition that highlights their products and services, we wish to usher in a new era of prosperity for local home-based businesses in Qatar,” al-Khalifa said during the event.
Qatar Chamber director general Saleh bin Hamad al-Sharqi said the exhibition is an opportunity to introduce home-made products of Qatari families to a wider market, in addition to being a platform that brings participants together under one roof to seal contracts and deals.
Al-Sharqi also expressed the hope that the exhibition would enable participants to acquire a larger share in the local market by offering their products in malls and shopping centres, as well as displaying their products on the shelves of large shops.
Qatar Chamber board member and Qatari Businesswomen Forum chairperson Ibtehaj al-Ahmadani said the participation of Qatari women at the exhibition enhances their production capacity and encourages their presence in the local market.
She said Qatar Chamber and other concerned agencies encourage the development of Qatar’s home-based industry to give Qatari products access to the local market with the aim of transforming these industries into small companies in the future.