WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
FOSTERING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN NABLUS
Program Dates: Phase I 2010 – March 2011
In cooperation with the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, FWEN increased the participation of 100 women in the labor force and promoted economic empowerment by offering tailor-made programs and services to increase participants’ business and practical skills and self-confidence.
TYO’s approach adapted participant’s traditional skills to design business plans that reflected international expertise and market research to ensure their competitiveness in the regional market.
WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN LEBANON
Program Dates: April 2011 – December 2012
Following the selection of female business leaders and an initial 4-day intensive training, participants received individual coaching and mentoring covering the production of business plans. 42 women entrepreneurs successful completed initial 4-day Integrated Business Planning Training, with 20 selected for individual coaching and 10 plans chosen for incubation.
TYO then printed branding and marketing materials for 9 women. This project bolstered local economies with focus on refugee and disadvantaged communities.
WOMEN’S INCUBATION SERVICES FOR ENTREPRENEURS
Program Dates: July 2012 – July 2013
Following our initial forays into programming targeting women entrepreneurs, TYO recognized the need for extended support services for entrepreneurs following the business development phase. The WISE program provided the development of an incubation center. It was the first of its kind to serve women of the northern West Bank who cannot access services offered in Ramallah or other areas.
TYO worked with the Small Enterprise Center and Souktel to facilitate trainings and offer mobile technology services. The year-long incubation project included trainings on advanced IT, business English, marketing, and access to capital. WISE also facilitated mentor relationships that allowed the participants to hone in on their networking skills and self-confidence with regional and international experts. Over the span of a year, the project directly benefited 15 female owned businesses.
FOSTERING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN THE MIDDLE EAST
Program Dates: November 2012-October 2014
For two years, FWEME targeted over 80 aspiring and existing female entrepreneurs from marginalized contexts in the Northern West Bank and the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. The program followed the Fostering Women Entrepreneurs four-phased model developed in collaboration with CBFW and refined during past programs. We selected 40 business leaders for individual coaching in business plan development, from which 20 women were chosen to incubate their businesses.
WOMEN’S INCUBATION SERVICES FOR ENTREPRENEURS II
Program Dates: August 2014 – July 2015
WISE II enhanced women-led micro and small enterprises in marginalized areas in northern Palestine. WISE II empowered high-potential Palestinian women through an innovative, holistic, and intensive business incubation. Through skills-based training, coaching, and incubation of over 100 women entrepreneurs, WISE II was a strategic multi-phase program to build the capabilities, confidence and access to capital for women entrepreneurs in Palestine. This included reaching high-potential women from disadvantaged, marginalized communities including refugee camps and villages throughout the North including Nablus, Jenin, Tulkarem, Qalqilya and Tubas.
Advancing Palestinian Women Entrepreneurs
Program Dates: April 2015 - March 2017
In April 2015, the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women made a grant enabling TYO to launch the Advancing Palestinian Women Entrepreneurs (APWE) project to empower 45 women entrepreneurs in Northern Palestine and provide them with the skills and tools needed to grow profitable and sustainable businesses that are market oriented, scalable, and facilitate job creation.
The primary objectives were: 1) to increase the enterprise development skills of women participants 2) to increase women’s business growth potential increased through coaching and marketing linkages 3) to help scale up participant businesses through incubation and/or investment 4) elevate the position of women in the Palestinian economy through public policy dialogue that highlights women’s leadership roles and potential business.