Spark IsDB

Syrian-led textile manufacturer expands in Jordan by employing refugees and women – Spark-IsDB

When the Syrian crisis erupted in 2011, Issam resided in Darayya, a suburb of Damascus in Syria. In response to the escalating situation, he and his family were obliged to seek refuge in Jordan. “Becoming a refugee in a new community was an unimaginable experience,” said Issam. Fortunately, they were familiar with the language and culture of the region, which eased their transition into the new environment.
A few months after arriving in Amman, Issam knew that he needed to provide for his wife and children as well as keep himself busy, so he returned to his profession as a tailor. “Rather than sit without a job and dwell on my lost home, I found it useful to roll my sleeves up and get to work in the profession I knew best,” he says.
Issam scraped together all of his savings and borrowed money from friends and relatives. Put together, he had enough funds to open his own small sewing factory in Downtown Amman called Al-Hour Al-Eeen Factory. Starting with just three sewing machines, Issam’s vision was to not only establish a business but also to contribute to the broader community by employing three Syrian refugees.

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.

 

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Code like a girl: Lebanon’s new Full Stack Developers – Spark-IsDB

Asmaa Hamid

“Asmaa Hamid, 26, a Syrian refugee living in Lebanon, studied Computer Science at school but found that she lacked practical experience in the sector, making it challenging to find job opportunities. A friend recommended SE Factory to her, and she joined the coding program to gain more experience and learn new technologies. Through SE Factory’s Full Stack Developer certificate program and career coaching, Asmaa acquired vital skills and proficiency that helped her ace interviews and eventually land an internship with a company in the United Arab Emirates. “Currently, I am interning remotely…with the hope of turning it into a full-time job offer,” said Asmaa.

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.

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New horizons: how four individuals in Lebanon found their career path through a tech bootcamp – Spark-IsDB

Four young individuals, Nour Meselmani, Yasser Shkeir, Imtihal Halalo, and Taha Taha, share a common goal – to find a career path that truly resonates with them. They enrolled in a tech bootcamp to equip themselves with employable skills.
They reside in Lebanon but come from different nationalities including Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria. Despite graduating, all four of them have been unable to secure employment due to the ongoing economic and political turmoil in Lebanon.
Additionally, they pursued majors at university that they did not enjoy, and they are seeking a second chance to start anew. “Finding a job opportunity as a physics graduate was a challenging task for me, and I have always been searching for a career path that truly resonates with me,” said Nour Meselmani.

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.”

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Eco-friendly toys provide children with smart and sustainable fun – Spark-IsDB

Rahaf Abu Mayaleh

Rahaf Abu Mayaleh, a 21-year-old health skills trainer, identified a lack of innovative, sustainable tools for children’s health education. Joining Startup Roadshow 4, she founded 4HEALTH EDU, an eco-conscious platform offering Arabic health courses for kids.
Abu Mayyaleh highlights the toy industry’s role in tackling climate change, pointing out its heavy use of plastic materials and single-use products that worsen environmental problems. “Given that we work with children,” Rahaf stated, “it’s crucial that what they interact with and absorb today remains with them.” She continued, ‘4Health Edu products under development prioritize sustainable materials, aiming to be resilient and eco-friendly for both children and the environment.
“Young people like us don’t wait for governments to solve climate issues,” Abu Mayyaleh affirmed. “Instead, we actively work towards bringing about the necessary changes.”

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.

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Skills Training Education Program” (STEP)- GMPFC-Spark-IsDB

About The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)

The Islamic Development Bank empowers individuals, communities, and nations across 57 member countries. Through collaborative partnerships and innovative financing, it fosters sustainable development and supports economic growth. IsDB ensures transparent procurement processes and advocates for public procurement system reforms to enhance efficiency and reduce poverty.

Target: 1965

Reach: 2398

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About Spark

Spark empowers young people in fragile communities, fostering peace and stability. We provide education, employment, and entrepreneurship opportunities, collaborating with local partners to tailor programs to each community’s needs.

About the program

The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund are funding a two-year US$10 million initiative with SPARK, an international non-governmental organization, to support refugees and vulnerable communities in Jordan and Lebanon. The IsDB, as an AAA rated multilateral development bank that works to promote social and economic development and the Abdul Aziz Al Ghurair Refugee Education Fund have developed a 2-year regional program with SPARK that aims to support the “Skills Training Education Program” (STEP) in Jordan and Lebanon. The program aims to skill up entrepreneurs, modernize existing curricula, connect participants to the labour market, create sustainable jobs and offer training and internship placements, among many others. It’s expected that at the end of the project, many participants will have started their businesses, SMEs have scaled up and men and women are equipped with market-relevant technical skills through training.

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