WEL Incubated: Next Step for Women Entrepreneurs in Lebanon

Now that we have selected the 10 women to continue on for the remaining 9 months of the WEL project, we are excited to embark on the Incubation phase of the project. These next months will include a lot of hard work for our women, as they get ready to launch or scale up their businesses. TYO/RMF are going to provide the women with additional trainings including:

• Business English Courses,
• Basic Computer Courses and
• Additional Accounting Courses.

In addition to the additional trainings, the women will be incubated at the BIAT facility, as they work with local University volunteers on the branding identity of their businesses, create networks for sale of their goods, and participate in local events to increase visibility for their businesses.

Armed with their SMART business plans, developed with the help of the skilled BIAT trainers, the women are also getting ready to take the plunge into access to finance! TYO/RMF and the women will work closely with the team of Kafalat, a local Lebanese institution well-known for assistance with subsidized loans in Lebanon, to help satisfy the finance needs of the women.

While the women work hard to launch their businesses, our WEL Steering Committee will also be providing them with additional support in:

• Trainings for quality control of goods,
• Technical Support,
• Access to the Souk el Tayeb Distribution network,
• Access to markets for the sale of their goods and
• Mentorship opportunities.

With a well-rounded team of support securely in place for our 10 women, we have the highest hopes for the entrepreneurial spirits and success and wish them the best of luck!