The Women Entrepreneurs in Lebanon -
Business, product and market development
A project

Duration of the project:

May 2011 to January 2012

Funding partner:

The Cherie Blair Foundation for Women (CBFW) -
(A British NGO: www.cherieblairfoundation.org )

Implementing partner:

Tomorrow's Youth Organization (TYO) -
(An American NGO: www.tomorrowsyouth.org )

Beneficiaries:

60 women from North Lebanon and the Akkar Region

Description:

The aim of the project is to increase women's participation in Lebanon's labour force and to promote economic empowerment by offering tailor-made programmes and services to increase participants' business and practical skills as well as their self-confidence and sense of efficacy to take an active role in family and community.
By providing women with enhanced skills and a platform to become productive members of Lebanon's labor force, this project will bolster the country's economy as a whole, with a particular focus on refugee and poorer Lebanese communities. Namely, it addresses two factors that prevent women from doing business and earning a better living:
•  Access to information about demand in local and international markets and to sales outlets in those markets; and
•  Business and personal skills required to launch and sustain a commercial enterprise.

<< Click for a list of conducted Activities and Events part of the project >>

Objectives:

Reduce gender disparity in the Lebanese labour force, including Lebanese and refugee women.

Promote entrepreneurship among marginalized women in Lebanon, including refugees.

Develop and support existing craft, design and business skills for the production of export-quality goods and/or services.

Incubate sustainable women-led businesses based on these skills and market linkages to create and amplify businesswomen’s income and other women’s employment opportunities.

Integrate innovative mobile phone services into program activities and participants’ businesses.

Activities:

Business leader selection, initial training and individual coaching.

Production of 20 business plans and linkage to finance.

Selection of 8 business plans to be incubated.

Training and support for business expansion, with particular focus on marketing, distribution and subcontracting other women.

Beneficiaries with Mrs Nayla Moawad and Mrs Cherie Blair