Stories

Home Stories

At the heart of our impact are the people.

Story Hatica Aktürk (41)

"Our aim is to raise awareness on how precious these olive trees are"

Location Türkiye

Service SME Coaching

Story Hanine Ghanam ()

"Mortben is a business which has a positive impact on our health, society and environment"

Location Lebanon

Service SME Coaching

Story Hazel Topçu (33)

"We have taken the wheel to bring down food waste figures"

Location Türkiye

Service Cooperative Support

Story Esra Üzel Yüncüler (30)

"As long as we stand in solidarity with each other, our production power and share in the market will keep growing"

Location Türkiye

Service SME Coaching

Story Aysha Saflo (27)

"Our vision is to transform earthquake-affected cities into smart cities powered by renewable energy"

Location Türkiye

Service SME Coaching

Story Salah Al-Saadi (30)

"I am driven by the urgent need to combat water pollution in Gaza"

Location Palestinian Territories

Service SME Coaching

Story Salma Aymari (28)

"We’re making Jordan greener, healthier, and more sustainable."

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Issam Salha (30)

"I realise Jordan’s potential as an industrial hub"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Rahaf Shami ()

"When I started my company, I didn’t have any income. Now we have over 30 clients!"

Location Türkiye

Service SME Coaching

Story Yasmine Darwich (23)

"This is gamification for good"

Location Lebanon

Service SME Coaching

Story Marwa Raed (37)

"You can call me the ‘Queen of Waste’"

Location Iraq

Service SME Coaching

Story Maha Mrad (31)

"Even better than Nutella!"

Location Lebanon

Service SME Coaching

Story Tamara Younis (23)

"The training prepared me to enter the labour market"

Location Iraq

Service Scholarships

Story Saqer Maryha (28)

"I was suddenly both a farmer and engineer"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Ahmed Jassem (26)

"A construction worker by day and a delivery guy at night"

Location Iraq

Service Scholarships

Story Dhouha Azri (32)

"Our unique supply chain model is a game-changer for farmers and consumers alike"

Location Tunisia

Service SME Coaching

Story Ahmad Al Hariri (26)

"Circumstances may force us to pause, but they cannot stop us from pursuing our dreams"

Location Türkiye

Service Internships

Story Rahaf Abu Aisheh (30)

"By creating jobs, we are investing in our future and building a better society for all"

Location Palestinian Territories

Service SME Coaching

Story Malek Fakhfakh (35)

"I’m inspired to dream bigger and expand my startup"

Location Tunisia

Service SME Coaching

Story Samah Ayyad (25)

"They call me the ambassador of happiness"

Location Palestinian Territories

Service SME Coaching

Story Hanady Alzanoon (24)

"Digital platforms are revolutionising the way we do business"

Location Jordan

Service Cooperative Support

Story Asmaa and Souraya (22)

"Women are as creative and capable as men in this male-dominated industry"

Location Lebanon

Service Internships

Story Raya Fatayer (29)

"You decide how to deal with the challenges of gender inequality"

Location Palestinian Territories

Service Business Support Centres

Story Lara Shahin (32)

"It’s not just a product; it’s a whole story"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Zahra Mohamed (35)

"Knowledge is more valuable than money"

Location Libya

Service SME Coaching

Story Safa Ramadan (22)

"This is what I need: tools and skills"

Location Libya

Service SME Coaching

Story Mohammed Salam (25)

"There’s a lot of opportunity in adversity"

Location Iraq

Service SME Coaching

Story Nabaa Saad Al Wandy ()

"Sindbad: No longer a fairytale in Baghdad"

Location Iraq

Service SME Coaching

Story Jonathan Niyongabo & Goreth Niyonkuru (35 & 30)

"Before I just wanted a job, now I want my business to grow."

Location Burundi

Service SME Coaching

Story Kubar Msho (20)

"My CV is filled with certificates and internships"

Location Iraq

Service Scholarships

Story Hamze Abu Zarifeh (24)

"I wanted to help families to secure extra income"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Vanessa Bwitonzi (26)

"Do not look for a job, look for a career."

Location Burundi

Service Internships

Story Amir Alkadri CEO, USTA OL (29)

"Entrepreneur in Exile: Amir Alkadri"

Location Türkiye

Service SME Coaching

Story Omar Itani (22)

"We want an industry that is more fair, equitable and sustainable"

Location Lebanon

Service SME Coaching

Story Nesrin (28)

"Back home, sellers are unwilling to sell to me because I am a woman."

Location Türkiye

Service Business Support Centres

Story Mohammad Zakkour and Emrullah Gündüz (33)

"Mohammad is like a brother from another mother"

Location Türkiye

Service SME Coaching

Story Claudine (30s)

"It is such a joy to see the products of our entrepreneurs"

Location Burundi

Service SME Coaching

Story Mohamad (29)

"My father is a Mechanical Engineer, my Grandfather too!"

Location Türkiye

Service Scholarships

Story Aisaha Salman (29)

"We learned from the Lego business module during the crisis"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Muzhgan Mehr (34)

"If the base is strong, the future is easier."

Location Western Europe

Service -

Story Michael Aliam (24)

"It was a challenging process, but I was determined."

Location South Sudan

Service SME Coaching

Story Mohammad Jamal (22)

"We all agreed to be positive and to focus on the future instead of what we lost in Syria"

Location Türkiye

Service -

Story Dana Hattar (30)

"Jordan’s economy is based on SMEs: this programme is essential"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Anwar (30)

"We were about to shut down the business"

Location Türkiye

Service SME Coaching

Story Mustafa Swedan (28)

"The video game industry is serious in the MENA region"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Salomon Ndizeye (29)

"This charcoal is made out of rubbish!"

Location Burundi

Service SME Coaching

Story Maryam Mando (22)

"I learnt from my failure. I will keep working."

Location Türkiye

Service Scholarships

Story Rawan Al Zaidy (23)

"We use Ai technology to the max"

Location Iraq

Service SME Coaching

Story Awjalan Fatimi (24)

"To the kids, I’m some sort of hero!"

Location Iraq

Service Scholarships

Story Huda Hassan (23)

"Successful online campaigns put my business on the map"

Location Iraq

Service -

Story Jihad Mousa (24)

"I want to be a role model for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon"

Location Lebanon

Service Internships

Story Sohaib, Wael & Mustafa (30)

"Our products will reach every home in the world within ten years"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Elham Alabbadi (33)

"I do not want the next generation to leave the land"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Ramzi Marji (35)

"I always worried about failing"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Rasha Rafai (25)

"Education is everything, it’s the key to a new life"

Location Lebanon

Service Scholarships

Story Abdulrahman Haddad ()

"GuideMe – a new way to study during COVID-19"

Location Lebanon

Service Scholarships

Story Shema Pacifique ()

"Software to stop the spread"

Location Rwanda

Service SME Coaching

Story Nowar Rahmouni (31)

"Aleppo soap sales soar during COVID-19"

Location Lebanon

Service Business Support Centres

Story Emrullah & Wael (34)

"Turkish/Syrian-owned company producing ventilators"

Location Türkiye

Service SME Coaching

Story Rugie Barry ()

"Women-led farming incubator don PPE"

Location Liberia

Service SME Coaching

Story Hamza Alouini ()

"Factory workers isolate to produce face masks"

Location Tunisia

Service Business Support Centres

Story Roudaina Bou Shahine (25)

"Company supporting rural women during COVID-19"

Location Lebanon

Service SME Coaching

Story Regis Umugiraneza (29)

"Special delivery! Entrepreneur finds new ways to reach his customers"

Location Rwanda

Service SME Coaching

Story Marwen Cherni ()

"Entrepreneur donates protective suits to police"

Location Tunisia

Service SME Coaching

Story Bekri Kehlavi ()

"Syrian student testing for COVID19 in Gaziantep"

Location Türkiye

Service Scholarships

Story Noor Joma'a (24)

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

Location Jordan

Service Scholarships

Story Aya Baroud (21)

"Whichever country I am in, I should be doing something significant"

Location Türkiye

Service Scholarships

Story Payam Sarbast (21)

"I can face anything in this life with self-confidence"

Location Iraq

Service -

Story Magic Lens ()

"I could never imagine myself anything other than an entrepreneur"

Location Palestinian Territories

Service Business Support Centres

Story Regis Umugiraneza (29)

"Be patient, be persistent and make sure your business is valuable"

Location Rwanda

Service SME Coaching

Story Mahmud Johnson (27)

"We are the ones creating the fundamentals for stability and growth"

Location Liberia

Service SME Coaching

You can shoot an arrow only by pulling it back.

— Braa Bakfalouni, Student, Turkey

Stories

"Our aim is to raise awareness on how precious these olive trees are"

"Mortben is a business which has a positive impact on our health, society and environment"

"We have taken the wheel to bring down food waste figures"

"As long as we stand in solidarity with each other, our production power and share in the market will keep growing"

"SPARK helped me to make it real"

"We aim to enhance agricultural technology"

"At Paketman, we speak the food language"

"Waste less, upcycle more!"

"Our vision is to transform earthquake-affected cities into smart cities powered by renewable energy"

"I am driven by the urgent need to combat water pollution in Gaza"

"We’re making Jordan greener, healthier, and more sustainable."

"I realise Jordan’s potential as an industrial hub"

"When I started my company, I didn’t have any income. Now we have over 30 clients!"

"This is gamification for good"

"You can call me the ‘Queen of Waste’"

"Even better than Nutella!"

"The training prepared me to enter the labour market"

"I was suddenly both a farmer and engineer"

"A construction worker by day and a delivery guy at night"

"Our unique supply chain model is a game-changer for farmers and consumers alike"

"Circumstances may force us to pause, but they cannot stop us from pursuing our dreams"

"By creating jobs, we are investing in our future and building a better society for all"

"I’m inspired to dream bigger and expand my startup"

"They call me the ambassador of happiness"

"Digital platforms are revolutionising the way we do business"

"Women are as creative and capable as men in this male-dominated industry"

"You decide how to deal with the challenges of gender inequality"

"It’s not just a product; it’s a whole story"

"Knowledge is more valuable than money"

"This is what I need: tools and skills"

"There’s a lot of opportunity in adversity"

"Sindbad: No longer a fairytale in Baghdad"

"Before I just wanted a job, now I want my business to grow."

"My CV is filled with certificates and internships"

"I wanted to help families to secure extra income"

"Do not look for a job, look for a career."

"Entrepreneur in Exile: Amir Alkadri"

"We want an industry that is more fair, equitable and sustainable"

"Back home, sellers are unwilling to sell to me because I am a woman."

"Mohammad is like a brother from another mother"

"It is such a joy to see the products of our entrepreneurs"

"My father is a Mechanical Engineer, my Grandfather too!"

"We learned from the Lego business module during the crisis"

"If the base is strong, the future is easier."

"It was a challenging process, but I was determined."

"We all agreed to be positive and to focus on the future instead of what we lost in Syria"

"Jordan’s economy is based on SMEs: this programme is essential"

"We were about to shut down the business"

"The video game industry is serious in the MENA region"

"This charcoal is made out of rubbish!"

"I learnt from my failure. I will keep working."

"We use Ai technology to the max"

"To the kids, I’m some sort of hero!"

"Successful online campaigns put my business on the map"

"I want to be a role model for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon"

"Our products will reach every home in the world within ten years"

"I do not want the next generation to leave the land"

"I always worried about failing"

"Education is everything, it’s the key to a new life"

"GuideMe – a new way to study during COVID-19"

"Software to stop the spread"

"Aleppo soap sales soar during COVID-19"

"Turkish/Syrian-owned company producing ventilators"

"Women-led farming incubator don PPE"

"Factory workers isolate to produce face masks"

"Company supporting rural women during COVID-19"

"Special delivery! Entrepreneur finds new ways to reach his customers"

"Entrepreneur donates protective suits to police"

"Syrian student testing for COVID19 in Gaziantep"

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

"Whichever country I am in, I should be doing something significant"

"I can face anything in this life with self-confidence"

"I could never imagine myself anything other than an entrepreneur"

"Be patient, be persistent and make sure your business is valuable"

"We are the ones creating the fundamentals for stability and growth"

You can shoot an arrow only by pulling it back.