In 2018, Asma Health Products emerged from a small, home-based kitchen in Jordan, aiming to provide gluten-free food products that would support healthy lifestyles. Founded by a local entrepreneur with a background in food processing, the initiative started with a single product—jams. Today, the business has flourished, offering over 20 items ranging from molasses and thyme to pickles and cheeses. Asma Health Products has also grown into a team of four employees from both Syrian and Jordanian backgrounds, with an expanded seasonal workforce of ten local women.
Skills Training Education Programme (STEP)
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450Jobs created
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320Startup supported
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400Internship
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620Business supported
Employability and jobs are very important, but quality and decent jobs are scarce commodities, especially in Lebanon and Jordan which have the highest unemployment rate in the Middle East.
The Islamic Development Bank, Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund and SPARK have developed a 2-year regional programme that aims to support the ‘Skills Training Education Programme’ (STEP) in Jordan and Lebanon. The new programme aims to skill up entrepreneurs, modernise existing curricula, connect participants to the labour market, create sustainable jobs and offer training and internship placements, among many others.
Meet Doha, one of the graduate students who was part of the STEP programme and was able to secure a full-time job in Lebanon. The STEP programme is a widening access programme that collaborates with young people from across Lebanon and Jordan, which have the highest unemployment rates in the Middle East. Over the programme period, which consisted of 35 boot camps, a total of 395 students enrolled, and 208 students successfully attended the programme. As an outcome, 128 students secured internships, and 68 students secured paid employment.
Meet Abd Al Hakeem Sabra, HR Intern at Anabtawi Sweets 💼! As a proud graduate of Petra University and a participant in the #STEPprogramme, Abd Al Hakeem is gaining the skills and experience needed to thrive in the job market. We appreciate the private sector's commitment and collaboration to empower youth and build a stronger community. Together, we're creating more opportunities for young people to prove themselves and shape a better future.