Skill-building for Unemployed Youth in Lebanon

Dear Friends of Nawaya,

As the situation in Lebanon continues to escalate with the expanding war, our hearts are with the communities we serve, as well as some of our team members, many of whom are facing unprecedented hardship. Homes, villages and neighborhoods have been completely destroyed, over 1.2 million displaced, thousands of innocent people killed or injured, families torn apart, and livelihoods disrupted.

We understand that this moment is one of deep fear, instability, and uncertainty. Despite these hardships, we are deeply inspired by the youth in our programs as well as our team members, who are refusing to give up on hope or who are coming together to respond to the urgent needs of our communities.

We wanted to dedicate this newsletter to highlighting their stories, hoping that they inspire you as they have inspired us during these dark times.

Spotlight on Nawayans Supporting in Relief Efforts

Our Employment Hub Program Coordinator, Farah, opened her cafe, Karakna, in Beirut earlier this year. Due to the war, she had to make the difficult decision to put her business on hold. Yet, she put the space to good use by teaming up with her Nawaya colleagues Hadi and Abbas. Together, they set out on a mission to bring in volunteers to make sandwiches for the displaced. You can make a donation to help support their efforts here.

Our ARED Program Field Officer, Ali , lives in the Bekaa, in a village surrounded by other villages that unfortunately continue to be bombed. This has not stopped him from supporting the displaced. Since the early days of the war, he has been involved in data collection efforts, collecting donations, distributing food, medicine, clothing, and children’s toys to those in need. He has been collaborating closely with scouts and NGOs in the region and has become a focal point and reference in the area given his deep and active involvement in relief efforts.

Fawaz,our TAFAWOQ Program Coach, has been actively involved in supporting displaced communities by regularly attending meetings with local associations in Tripoli, focusing on the Baddawi camp and surrounding areas. He has also taken the initiative to compile the latest statistics on displaced populations in both the Al Bared and Baddawi refugee camps, aiding in the planning and deployment of essential services.

Celine, our Marketing and Communications Director, has been working tirelessly to gather blankets, duvets, pillows, winter clothing, and food supplies for distribution to displaced families and schools hosting both Lebanese and other displaced persons in the Metn region.

Sabri, our MEAL Coordinator, has been gathering supplies and delivering them to restaurants in Saida who are cooking meals for the displaced. He has also been supporting displaced Syrian refugee families who are spending their nights in a parking lot in Saida, providing lunch meals, mattresses, and pillows.

Salim, our ARED Business Coach, was among the very first people on the ground in Beirut distributing food to displaced families across the city, while Ali, our NOMU Program Coordinator, has been volunteering at a displacement center in Saida since the first days of the attacks in the South.

Jessica, our Deputy Director and Board Member, has generously contributed by donating financial resources and physical supplies to several humanitarian relief centers and organizations, including Karakna and others that are actively working on the ground.

We are also proud to share that our ARED program team whose work has been based in the Bekaa these past four years, will be coordinating with several food-based enterprises who have received coaching and funding through the ARED program, to provide meals for 1,500 displaced individuals. 

Spotlight on Nawaya’s Youth

One of our youth alumni graduates, Ali, had to escape his neighborhood as it was constantly being bombed. He became displaced and traveled to the north of the country in search of shelter and safety. He finally found a place in Tripoli. Despite his displacement, devastation, and uncertainty about the future, he never stopped working remotely as a web developer for his company in Dubai. His employer reached out to let us know he was amazed and inspired by his inner strength and dedication.

In the face of overwhelming adversity, the courage of our youth continue to shine, as they hold onto hope and persevere through unimaginable challenges. Here are some of their stories in their own words:

• "I can't put my life on hold because of the war, I have to keep going.” Ahmad, Employment Hub program, Beirut, Lebanon.
• "We had to leave Nabatieh, it was no longer safe to stay. I'm in Beirut now, my family are unharmed. I'm still working on my business and I have found work to support my family."  Elissa, Entrepreneurship program, Nabatieh, Lebanon.
• "My business was destroyed, but I managed to run away. I am confident that I will relaunch Rosemary Care once the war stops." Mohamad, Entrepreneurship program, Nabatieh, Lebanon.
• "I won't cry or stop working, this is my answer to war. I have to be brave, there's no other way for me."Nour, Entrepreneurship program, Beirut, Lebanon.

In partnership with IE Alumni Association, we are collaborating to raise funds for the displaced to support them with food, shelter, medication, and mental health sessions. You can make your tax-deductible donation on our GlobalGiving page here. 

With gratitude and hope for better days,
The Nawaya Network Team

Dear Friends,

Since 2016, The Nawaya Network, in partnership with UNICEF Lebanon, has been implementing the Generation of Innovation Leaders (GIL) entrepreneurship program across Beirut, Mount Lebanon, South Lebanon, and Nabatieh.

The GIL program equips youth with the skills to access the digital economy, fostering innovative, income-generating solutions for their communities. Its goal is to empower disadvantaged youth in Lebanon, enhancing their income-generation abilities and enabling them to become self-sustaining members of society.

Since its inception, the GIL program has trained 7,499 youth and launched or supported 1,219 MSMEs, 62% of which are female-led, generating $1,535,513 in revenue from 620 MSMEs.

In the past two years, The Nawaya Network has focused on creating business synergies among GIL-supported MSMEs. By connecting these businesses, they can benefit from each other’s products and services, fostering mutual growth and ensuring increased revenue.

We are thrilled to share a few testimonials from participating entrepreneurs who have thrived through these synergies:

Sara El Koussa, the founder of CancerCom, a support organization for cancer patients and their families says: “The business synergy initiative made it easy to have a new feature developed for our website. It also  helped me grow my business network and come up with new ideas!”

Ralph Al Amil and Elie Daccache, co-founders of Go Med an app that optimizes healthcare for patients say: "We needed new features developed for our mobile app and were able to get them done on time, in a cost-efficient manner with the GIL Business Synergies.”

Dalia Ayash, the founder of Mounet Dalia, a social enterprise that connets rural women who produce traditional Lebanese mouneh products to their markets says: “I was looking for someone to develop the mobile application for my business and I found them through the GIL Business Synergies.”

Hussein El Hajj, the co-founder of the Awfarli and Student Rise apps, and H-tech, says: "The business connections I was able to build through this initiative are a great source of revenue for my mobile app and web development business!”

Thank you as always for your wonderful support!

Warm regards,

Zeina Saab

Founder and Director