Spark IsDB

Within a short span of time, Issam had attracted numerous customers and forged valuable connections with traders, due to the remarkable quality and pricing of his products. In 2016, as demand surged, he made a pivotal choice to expand his factory operations. The workforce grew from three employees to a team of twelve, and his goals extended to include women’s employability and empowerment, by offering flexible working hours for Syrian refugee women.
With technical support from SPARK, through its partner International Group for Training (IGIT), under the Skills Training Education Programme (STEP), financed by The Islamic Development Bank and the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation, Issam underwent a comprehensive training in various fields. He participated in courses covering accounting, strategic planning, social media marketing, and financing.
Equipped with this newfound knowledge, Issam expanded his business significantly. Currently, he employs over 25 workers to manage the machines, with an additional five employees working in administration and six staff members in the showrooms. After a decade of dedication to his company, the total number of employees has now reached 35.

As part of the Skills Training Education Programme (STEP), Funded by IsDB and Al Ghurair Fund, SPARK’s partner, SE Factory, conducted two bootcamps to enroll youth such as Asmaa. The bootcamps offered a flexible and accessible alternative to traditional education, increasing youth employability and their chance to enter the workforce quickly with relevant skills. The bootcamps focus on job-specific skills in the tech sector, providing hands-on experience and digital skills that are highly valued by employers. Students had the opportunity to network with professionals in their field, work on their projects, and showcase their abilities to potential employers, potentially leading to job opportunities or partnerships.

Yasser and Taha share an unwavering ambition and a vision for a brighter future. In their pursuit of skills that would equip them for whatever might come their way, they enrolled in the tech bootcamp offered by SPARK, which recently launched in Lebanon in partnership with SE Factory under the Skills Training Education Programme (STEP), supported by The Islamic Development Bank and the Abdulla Al Ghurair Foundation. “It’s more than a bootcamp,” says Taha, “it boosts your skills and knowledge and unleashes your capabilities to be a professional needed in the labor market.”
Yasser started working remotely as a Full Stack Developer with a French company, while Taha began his career as a Junior Full Stack Developer. Yasser adds, “It’s been a long journey filled with lots of code, caffeine, and late nights, but I am so proud to have reached this milestone.”

Narrative:

Over her four-year journey as a health skills trainer, 21-year-old Rahaf Abu Mayaleh encountered a series of obstacles, chief among them being the lack of innovative tools and games designed to aid children in learning basic health skills. She observed that existing children’s games were not only costly but also crafted from environmentally harmful materials like plastic. Motivated to effect change, Rahaf resolved to become an advocate for climate action and enhancement in the teaching of fundamental skills to children aged 2 to 8.
In Rahaf’s view, every challenge presents an opportunity for a solution, underscoring the vital role of young entrepreneurs committed to safeguarding the environment and shaping a brighter future. “For every challenge, there is a solution, and here lies our responsibility as environmentally conscious young entrepreneurs,” Rahaf explains.
In the latter part of 2022, Rahaf joined Startup Roadshow 4, a collaborative initiative by Jusoor and SPARK under the STEP program, sponsored by the Islamic Development Bank and the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund. Rahaf was among 263 entrepreneurs and 108 innovative ideas showcased during the event. She transformed her concept into a startup named 4HEALTH EDU.