Global Entrepreneurship Week 2023
‘From Ideas to Impact’
Meet five entrepreneurs turning their visionary ideas into tangible impact
This week, SPARK is celebrating Global Entrepreneurship Week, a global campaign organised by the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEW), aimed at celebrating and empowering entrepreneurs across the world. On this occasion, we proudly showcase the remarkable stories of five entrepreneurs from around the globe. These individuals exemplify the essence of entrepreneurship by turning their visionary ideas into tangible impact, enriching their communities and inspiring countless others. Join us as we delve into the extraordinary journeys of these entrepreneurs, celebrating the spirit of innovation that defines Global Entrepreneurship Week.
Mortben's Recipe for Success: Healthy, Ethical, and Green Delivery Service in Lebanon
As Hanine Ghannam studied for her PHD while working two jobs, she struggled to find the time to prepare healthy and nutritious meals. As a dietician and an environmentally-conscious individual, she knew that getting take-away meals everyday was unhealthy and unsustainable. In the face of this conflicting dilemma, Hanine took charge by founding a green, organic and ethical food delivery business called ‘Mortben’. Mortben provides a food delivery service which delivers ready-made healthy meals to its customer’s doorstep.
Michael Aliam innovating against food insecurity in South Sudan
As the climate crisis tightens its grip, “South Sudan is simultaneously drowning and drying”, causing extreme levels of food insecurity, according to the World Food Programme. Michael Aliam, disturbed by local farmers’ reliance on milled maize flour imports from Uganda, decided to invest in his own maize miller. As his business grew, Michael qualified for business training and received a loan as part of SPARK’s Food Security through Agribusiness programme, which cultivated his business prowess and his green skills. Today, his business has created sustainable employment for young people in his community and is a shining example of turning a visionary idea into impact.
Iraq's "Queen of Waste", breathing a new life into organic waste
Shocked by the level of food insecurity in Iraq, Marwa Raed knew she needed to act. Founding ‘Green Gold’, a business which recycles organic waste into compost, fertiliser and other agricultural products, she is hope to reduce food waste and boost the country’s food production. As a woman engineer working in waste management, Marwa has faced criticism and scepticism. Her reply to them was always: “You can call me the ‘Queen of Waste’.”
Delivering delight and hope - the inspirational journey of refugee entrepreneurs in Türkiye
As the COVID-19 pandemic brought businesses to a halt, Omar Dahkoul and Osama Hanawi, both Syrian refugees residing in Türkiye, didn’t back down from their dream of creating the ultimate food delivery app. As they participated in the NAMA II competition, part of the Economic Resilience through COVID-19 organised by SPARK and BINA Business Incubator, and financed by the Qatar Fund for Development, the pair conceived the idea of an app connecting foreigners to local Turkish Restaurants – the concept that would become the foundation of Paketman. Today, Paketman operates in Turkish, Arabic, Russian and English, offering a full service experience to customers in their preferred language. Since their launch in 2021, Paketman has surpassed 55,000 orders and achieved total sales of $500,000 between 2021 and 2022, generating revenue and opportunities for the restaurants they served through their platform.