Stories

Home Stories

At the heart of our impact are the people.

Story Abdullah Elfandi (28)

"The grant enabled us to create our website to offer mental health support online"

Location Libya

Service SME Coaching

Story Sondos Aabed (22)

"Sondos Aabed: From University Graduate to Full-Time Data Analyst"

Location Palestinian Territories

Service Scholarships

Story Asma Al Weshah (35)

"A small kitchen idea, now a sustainable venture"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Akam Akram (25)

"The answer isn’t to leave, but to fix"

Location Iraq

Service Entrepreneurship Summer Courses

Story Zahra Hasan (25)

"Building opportunities starts with investing in our own community"

Location Iraq

Service Entrepreneurship Summer Courses

Story Nvar Nuri (26)

"Each certificate opened my mind to new skills and possibilities, and it gave me a better understanding of what I’m capable of"

Location Iraq

Service Entrepreneurship Summer Courses

Story Fatima & Shaza (29)

"I graduated in 2018, and it’s now 2024. This is a problem"

Location Lebanon

Service Internships

Story Massa Abar (25)

"If you’re unhappy with what you’re doing, you can change that"

Location Lebanon

Service Internships

Story Mohammed Al-Warrad (32)

"Every bit of support fuels our growth and empowers us to care for our patients even better!"

Location Libya

Service SME Coaching

Story Marwa Al-Wadawi (22)

"This seed funding will help us create jobs and boost production"

Location Libya

Service SME Coaching

Story Rabee Al Qasem (31)

"AI is a rapidly growing trend, and everyone should have the skills to use AI tools"

Location Palestinian Territories

Service Scholarships

Story Malak & Taha ()

"The grant we won was a turning point for our startup"

Location Libya

Service SME Coaching

Story Muthanna Al-Muhaisen (28)

"Old-school farming on vast lands isn’t sustainable anymore"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Anthony & Nour ()

"We benefited a lot. We met many mentors, many startups like us"

Location Lebanon

Service SME Coaching

Story Ralph & Hussein (21)

"In every line of code lies the potential to shape tomorrow’s world"

Location Lebanon

Service SME Coaching

Story Antabi Family ()

"Simplify medical record management for everyone"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Hamza Al Faoori (30)

"Governments must prioritise e-waste recycling"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Hasan and Mohammad (20)

"You are trying, it gives you purpose"

Location Lebanon

Service SME Coaching

Story Majed (23)

"The pursuit of job opportunities is exhausting"

Location Lebanon

Service SME Coaching

Story Aya Emad (23)

"Rather than being dependent, we can be valuable assets"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Shaymaa Mansour (28 )

"Seed funding is essential to invest in women’s ideas"

Location Jordan

Service SME Coaching

Story Bashar Ameen (20)

"Focus on sharpening competencies now; profits will follow"

Location Jordan

Service Entrepreneurship Summer Courses

Story Angham Al-Rawi (23 )

"Independence begins with a steady income"

Location Jordan

Service Internships

Story Awad Al Khatib (28)

"Need a job to get experience. Need experience to get a job"

Location Jordan

Service Internships

Story Rahaf Abu-Mayyaleh (21)

"Young people like us don’t wait for governments to solve climate issues"

Location Jordan

Service Entrepreneurship Summer Courses

Story Abdulkader Khateeb (31)

"Electricity is a basic human right"

Location Lebanon

Service Entrepreneurship Summer Courses

Story Manal & Maysaa (33)

"We support women in every possible way"

Location Lebanon

Service Cooperative Support

Story Shifaa Khalil (25 )

"Coding is not just for the boys"

Location Lebanon

Service Internships

Story Abdüllatif Babelly (30)

"I’ve tried different jobs, and I know the struggle of finding employment as a refugee"

Location Türkiye

Service Entrepreneurship Summer Courses

Story Jad Issa (29)

"It is about sowing the seeds now and reaping the rewards later"

Location Lebanon

Service SME Coaching

Story Mitri Harmouche ()

"I wanted to create something that combined vertical farming with green walls"

Location Lebanon

Service -

Story Ramy Badawi (29)

"Our project is the first ecological farm in Lebanon"

Location Lebanon

Service -

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)

"SPARK helped me to make it real"

Location Türkiye

Service Scholarships

Story Salih Kocamer (22)

"We aim to enhance agricultural technology"

Location Türkiye

Service SME Coaching

Story Osama Hinnawi (28)

"At Paketman, we speak the food language"

Location Türkiye

Service SME Coaching

Story Margot Wehbe (22)

"Waste less, upcycle more!"

Location Lebanon

Service SME Coaching

Story Muhammad Abdo (30)

"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 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

"This programme helped us design long-term strategies"

"The seed funding will help us launch new projects for coding education"

"Now, we feel equipped with the strategic mindset of true business leaders"

"Every crisis is a chance to reinvent"

"The grant enabled us to create our website to offer mental health support online"

"Sondos Aabed: From University Graduate to Full-Time Data Analyst"

"A small kitchen idea, now a sustainable venture"

"The answer isn’t to leave, but to fix"

"Building opportunities starts with investing in our own community"

"Each certificate opened my mind to new skills and possibilities, and it gave me a better understanding of what I’m capable of"

"I graduated in 2018, and it’s now 2024. This is a problem"

"If you’re unhappy with what you’re doing, you can change that"

"Every bit of support fuels our growth and empowers us to care for our patients even better!"

"This seed funding will help us create jobs and boost production"

"AI is a rapidly growing trend, and everyone should have the skills to use AI tools"

"The grant we won was a turning point for our startup"

"Old-school farming on vast lands isn’t sustainable anymore"

"We benefited a lot. We met many mentors, many startups like us"

"In every line of code lies the potential to shape tomorrow’s world"

"Simplify medical record management for everyone"

"Governments must prioritise e-waste recycling"

"You are trying, it gives you purpose"

"The pursuit of job opportunities is exhausting"

"Rather than being dependent, we can be valuable assets"

"Seed funding is essential to invest in women’s ideas"

"Focus on sharpening competencies now; profits will follow"

"Independence begins with a steady income"

"Need a job to get experience. Need experience to get a job"

"Young people like us don’t wait for governments to solve climate issues"

"Electricity is a basic human right"

"We support women in every possible way"

"Coding is not just for the boys"

"I’ve tried different jobs, and I know the struggle of finding employment as a refugee"

"It is about sowing the seeds now and reaping the rewards later"

"I wanted to create something that combined vertical farming with green walls"

"Our project is the first ecological farm in Lebanon"

"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"

"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."