The Nawaya Network has been implementing UNICEF’s Generation of Innovation Leaders (GIL) entrepreneurship program in Beirut, Mount Lebanon and the South since 2016, reaching more than 6,500 youth.
The program aims to develop the income-generating opportunities for marginalized Lebanese and refugee youth through innovation, entrepreneurship and business development training.
The training is followed by an incubation phase through which successful youth-led projects receive further business coaching and seed-funding to help launch their small businesses.
The program also includes post-incubation support through mentorship, short educational online sessions, referrals to local, regional, and international competitions, as well as other opportunities within the country.
This 7-day entrepreneurship training offers youth the opportunity to learn how to turn problems in their communities into opportunities, conduct field research, determine the building blocks and viability of their solutions and how to pitch in front of a jury.
FinCamp is a 7-day training that enables youth to dive into the finances of their projects by creating realistic projections and a solid financial plan to back up their ideas. This stage is the final qualifier for incubation, with a second round of pitching, and a more solid plan.
Successful youth who move on to the Incubation stage will receive seed-funding to launch their business, and will get the chance to work with a coach, hone their business skills, develop a prototype and cover other business topics related to their projects. Incubation takes 2 to 3 months and follows a methodical approach for optimal…Read More
Post incubation, youth will receive additional support through short-term mentorship by professionals related to key topics, referrals to local, regional, and international competitions, as well as other opportunities within the country, including GIL’s flagship events, Hakaya GIL and Jawa2ez GIL.
Hakaya GIL is an inspirational storytelling event series held online, over Zoom, in monthly episodes featuring three to four speakers from various GIL tracks and partners.
Speakers participating in Hakaya GIL share moving stories of how, through sheer will and perseverance, they managed to triumph over various obstacles in their lives, shedding light on the program’s impact on their lives. Each episode is one hour long, and in Arabic.
Hakaya GIL aims to inspire and motivate youth in Lebanon by giving a voice to the voiceless, shedding light on the challenges youth face, and more importantly showcasing the achievements of these inspiring young leaders.
Hakaya GIL is organized by The Nawaya Network.
Jawa2ez GIL is an online bootcamp, organized by The Nawaya Network and INJAZ Lebanon to support youth teams incubated through UNICEF Lebanon’s Generation of Innovation Leaders program.
Participating youth teams that have demonstrated commitment to their projects will be honing their pitching skills, receiving mentorship, further coaching to boost their micro-businesses either through additional funding or by opening doors for them into their specific ecosystems. We aim for this event to be a unique learning and networking experience for the teams as well as a funnel opportunity into various sectors.
Teams participating in Jawa2ez GIL are handpicked amongst hundreds based on their performance and achievements through the program and act as motivation and inspiration for other GIL program participants.
The entrepreneurship track is part of The Generation of Innovation Leaders program, powered by UNICEF Lebanon, funded by the Government of the Netherlands and The Andan Foundation.