CFA Society Bahrain is continuously brainstorming career and academic progression initiatives, and given the importance of coaching and mentorship in careers, the Society launched Qodwa, its first ever mentorship initiative.
Qodwa, which is Arabic for “role model”, pairs experienced CFA charterholders, the “mentors”, with CFA candidates, the “mentees”. The program runs over a period of six months and includes regular professional training for the mentors, in addition to networking and monitoring sessions.
Qodwa aims to establish a community of impact in Bahrain by promoting and encouraging the “Pay it forward” philosophy, as introduced by Qodwa’s Chairperson, Ms. Noorhan Al Zann, CFA, and Deputy Chairs, Ms. Kanika Jain, CFA, and Ms. Walaa AlShehab.
“The program is based on the philosophy that individuals should take time to grow while investing in the growth of others as well. This is why Qodwa invests in training the mentors, who have dedicated their time to coach and mentor the mentees,” Ms Noorhan Al Zann explained. “Our hope is that mentors and mentees in the Qodwa program will achieve their academic and professional goals together, and after the completion of the program will have newly acquired skills and tools that they can utilize to further progress in their careers and assist others in doing the same.”
The official launch was held on 19 January 2019, at Ahli United Bank Head Quarters, Qodwa’s strategic partner, and featured several local speakers who shared their personal mentorship experiences and provided tips to the attendees.
Following the completion of the pilot program, the Society held a closing ceremony at the bank’s headquarters, where participants were congratulated and some inspiring insights into the mentorship journeys were shared. The event showcased the achievements and overall impact of Qodwa, along with the announcement of the top two mentoring relationships (“success partners”) who achieved the most during the program.
The Society hopes that the mentors and mentees will achieve their academic and professional goals together, using their newly acquired skills. Noorhan Al Zann announced that the program will be even bigger in its next round, which will commence in September 2019. Qodwa will include more participants, longer training hours and a wider group of partners to ensure maximum outreach.
For more details visit: https://www.cfasociety.org/bahrain/Pages/Qodwa.aspx
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