This was: IGNITE 2019

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Creating better jobs for young people in fragile states

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Opening pathways to employment

  • 10547
    Scholarships Provided
  • 101689
    Youth Trained
  • 7027
    Businesses Supported
  • 26460
    Jobs Created
her story Payam Sarbast (21)
her story Aya Baroud (21)
his story Regis Umugiraneza (29)
his story Magic Lens
her story Noor Joma'a (24)
his story Mahmud Johnson (27)
Featured story

“I can face anything in this life with self-confidence”

Sitting serenely amongst the chaos of the bustling newsroom, 21-year-old Payam Sarbast is unique. She is the youngest news reporter at Rudaw, one of the fastest growing news channels in the Middle East, while just a year ago she had no job, no work experience and no confidence.

Read her full story
Featured story

“Whichever country I am in, I should be doing something significant”

Aya fled her home of Aleppo in 2015, leaving behind her dreams of studying Architecture. With a scholarship to learn in her native Arabic tongue at the University of Gaziantep, she is on track to completing her Bachelor's degree this year.

Read her full story
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“Be patient, be persistent and make sure your business is valuable”

Regis Umugiraneza, a 29-year-old Agribusiness graduate, grew up surrounded by fields of sweet potato. He was four years old when the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi population claimed the lives of his father, sister and many other family members.

Read his full story
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“I could never imagine myself anything other than an entrepreneur”

Over 800 engineering students a year graduate in Gaza, in a market that needs about 50 engineers. For young graduates and media experts Ahmed, Mohammed, and Yousef, it was radically different.

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Read his full story
Featured story

“I invested in myself so that doors would open, eventually.”

“It never crossed my mind that I’d be leaving Syria,” said Noor Joma’a. At 24, she could not anticipate having to leave her country in the middle of her university studies to start a new life in Jordan, along with more than 600,000 others.

Read her full story
Featured story

“We are the ones creating the fundamentals for stability and growth”

Mahmud won a SPARK business plan competition with his business, J-Palm, and received access to finance. His company uses a no-waste manufacturing process to create a range of affordable, organic palm oil-based skin and hair care products. The palm kernels are then utilised to make a wood charcoal alternative.

Read his full story

Our services

We provide young people with the tools they need to succeed in regions affected by conflict, climate crisis and displacement. Together with our local partners we implement six services that empower students and entrepreneurs to study, work and grow their own businesses.

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