Manama, Bahrain: - BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, officially kicks off its annual FinTech Internship Program “Masar” in its second edition, in collaboration with the Supreme Council for Women (SCW). The initiative seeks to empower Bahraini university students by providing them with a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience and skills in the financial technology sector.

Masar is a summer internship program designed to strengthen the skills and competencies of Bahraini youth while also familiarizing them with the working environment within the FinTech sector. Participants will have the opportunity to discover numerous aspects of the financial sector, expand their innovative thinking, and contribute to the development of Bahrain's digital economy.

Mr. Salah Al Awadhi, Head of Human Resources & Administration, commented, “We are eager to reintroduce the Masar programme this year. It is an excellent opportunity for Bahraini students to obtain practical experience in the financial space and gain exposure to the captivating realm of FinTech. By placing emphasis on Women in FinTech, we hope to foster inclusion and diversity in the industry as a whole, while ensuring equal opportunities for exceptional individuals to flourish. We would like to express gratitude to the Supreme Council for Women (SCW) for their invaluable collaboration and support in making this initiative a reality.”

Masar provides three distinct pathways: business services, IT, and corporate support, offering participants the opportunity to explore various elements of the financial sector and cater to their individual interests.

The internship will run for several weeks, starting with a two-day orientation session. Following this, participants will engage in seven weeks of on-the-job training in data services, payment services, and corporate support. The program concludes with a one-week final project where participants will collaborate in groups of 4-5 people to create an innovative FinTech pitch in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. The team with the best innovative idea in FinTech will be awarded with the BENEFIT FinTech Award Trophy.

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About BENEFIT

BENEFIT was established in 1997 and is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB) as an ancillary service provider to the Kingdom’s financial services industry. BENEFIT is owned by Banks in Bahrain, regulated by the Central Bank of Bahrain (CBB), to provide innovative Payment Capabilities, Information Management Solutions, and Business Process Outsourcing Services across different sectors in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Region.

BENEFIT’s range of services – supported by GCCNet in countries within the region – include operating of Automated Teller Machines (ATM), Point of Sale (POS), GCCNet, The GCCNet Dispute Management System, Credit Reference Bureau (CRB), Telecom Bill Payment (Tele BP), Direct Debit (DD), Payment Gateway (PG),Bahrain Cheque Truncation System (BCTS), Amex Cards withdrawal , eCheque, EFTs, national eWallet and national eKYC Platform for the financial sectors.