The United States for International Development (USAID) celebrated its achievements under the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity Initiative for Expanding Women’s Labor Force in Lebanon (W-GDP: EWLFL), implemented by Lutheran World Relief (LWR) a Corus International Organization. This initiative empowered and improved economic opportunities for women-led enterprises by building the capacity and advancing the business skills of these women entrepreneurs who hailed from all sectors and regions of Lebanon.
USAID Lebanon Mission Director Eileen Devitt, representatives from USAID, LAU, and LWR, as well as 200 W-GDP: EWLFL women participants attended the event. The occasion also marked the graduation of 200 women-led entrepreneurs from a business entrepreneurship program offered by the Lebanese American University (LAU).
During the opening remarks, the LAU Academy of Continuing Education Director Georges Obeid, gave a speech in which he highlighted the significance of the program that was tailored and customized to fit the needs of women entrepreneurs, as well as the networking events that were organized and delivered by LAU to assist women in finding their business niche. He also emphasized the significance of the program that was tailored and customized to fit the needs of women entrepreneurs.
In closing, he expressed gratitude to USAID for the significant funding they granted to help empower women and brought attention to the productive partnership that exists between LAU and LWR.
In their remarks, LWR management highlighted ‘Women empowerment and gender inclusivity in the Lebanese Labor market are critical and a priority to launch the renaissance, modernization, restore the confidence and socio-economic stability in Lebanon. The W-GDP: EWLFL program mitigated the pain, strengthened the resilience, and sustained the jobs of 200 marginalized women entrepreneurs in rural and peri-urban Lebanese areas.
Our interventions had also created an indirect positive impact on their families and households amidst an unprecedented multifaceted and dire economic crisis that Lebanon has been passing through since October 2019. women participants will dream bigger and will aim higher.
Lutheran World Relief, a Corus International organization will continue to support you through Access to Finance (Grants and Loans) in addition to more tailored business development services through the QUEST-KerK in Actie KIA funded program that has been built to sustain and complement the WGDP-USAID funded program. We will also pursue more women participants and engage more economic active women entrepreneurs to maximize our impact on the socio-economic stability in Lebanon. ‘
In her remarks Mary Eileen Devitt, USAID Mission Director, stated “Women-led microenterprise development has been a key priority for the United States Government. This is why in 1997, USAID prioritized increasing access to resources for micro-entrepreneurs, most notably women. This activity came at an important juncture in Lebanon’s history as every family and community needed capable members to step up, work, and provide financial support. Through its wide-ranging scope of support, from one-on-one mentorship to solidarity networking events to business linkages, the activity paid off as 200 women were able to build sustainable and self-reliant businesses that thrive in competitive marketplaces.’
The event concluded with a presentation on project results and findings and the graduation of 200 women. The impact of the WGDP program demonstrates USG’s and USAID’s commitment to advancing women’s labor force in Lebanon in order to become effective catalysts of entrepreneurial development for their business and families in a time of economic crisis.
About the program: Through the W-GDP: EWLFL program, 200 marginalized women entrepreneurs in rural and peri-urban Lebanese areas were provided with access to e-learning through a Moodle learning platform. Participants graduated from the Lebanese American University (LAU) with a business entrepreneurship certificate and received training on digital media literacy and digital social media marketing through Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT). The accredited certification included 12 courses on strategic management, market research and analysis, marketing for beginners, intro to gender and gender laws in Lebanon, HR skills, emotional intelligence, legal framework and feasibility study, time management, communication for sales and market access. The program also provided one-on-one confidential mentorship support sessions in a blended virtual and in-person format, where participants were able to build or develop their business plan with goals and timelines. In addition, the women-led enterprises participated in solidarity and networking events to expand their connections within the community.
Source: National News Agency – Lebanon