Aggregating creative Middle Eastern content by local talents
Many people who work in the creative industry face challenges in finding photos or audio tracks that meet their needs, especially culturally appropriate content. This challenge has been addressed by Silkroad - a Jordan-based company that aggregates authentic Middle Eastern photos and music.
“Before starting the company, I had to go through many stock photo/ audio platforms to find the right content for my clients in the region. However, I reached a dead-end, which brought the idea of collecting high-quality material from audio and photo creators portraying Middle Eastern content and making it available for purchase on an online platform,” said Riham Mahafza, co-founder and trainer at Silkroad.
Eager to nurture fresh minds and young talents to cover such needs in the market, Riham received a grant from USAID Informal Livelihoods Advancement Activity (Iqlaa) to help fulfill her dream. With Iqlaa’s support, she launched an advanced photography, videography, and music production program that trained 60 photographers and musicians to create content suitable for the Middle Eastern market. Through this initiative, the producers are also able to sell their products on Silkroad’s online platform, thus helping them access wider markets and generate income.
“I’m a landscape and portrait photographer, but my photos seem not to fit the market. I wanted to diversify my content, embark on creating lifestyle photos, and sell them online. I was happy to join the Silkroad program, which equipped me with much-needed skills and insight. My photos are now on their online platform and I am excited to see my sales picking up,” said Jamal Abdulhadi, one of Silkroad’s photography trainees.
We took the participants on a creativity journey and showed them best practices in producing musical content. I believe this is the most valuable part; to hold their hands while building their skills and passion one creative element at a time.
Maher Al Mallakh, Egyptian musician and trainer at Silkroad
“I’m a landscape and portrait photographer, but my photos seem not to fit the market. I wanted to diversify my content, embark on creating lifestyle photos, and sell them online. I was happy to join the Silkroad program, which equipped me with much-needed skills and insight. My photos are now on their online platform and I am excited to see my sales picking up,” said Jamal Abdulhadi, one of Silkroad’s photography trainees.
Silkroad is further supporting those photographers and musicians through ongoing mentorship and by promoting their products on social media. It is practically a win-win scenario for the platform and the creative creators!
“One of the most valuable things I learned during the training was how to turn my passion for music into a marketable skill," said Zaid Abdelkader, a trainee who benefited from Silkroad's program. He added, "The trainers focused on understanding our specific needs as music producers and showed us how to create work that meets market demand. This program opened my eyes to the possibility of generating income through my talent—an opportunity I had not considered before.”
To facilitate growth and access to markets for micro and small businesses, Iqlaa has been supporting the development and promotion of business aggregation across multiple sectors in Jordan. This approach aims to connect businesses with larger markets, streamline supply chains, and boost efficiency. To date, over 240 businesses have benefited from aggregation through Iqlaa.