SHARJAH: The Sharjah Business Women Council (SBWC) and Education for Employment (EFE) have partnered together to launch the entrepreneurship initiative “Jeel” programme last week, based in Souq Anwan in Dibba Al Hisn, to provide entrepreneurship training and business coaching as well as professional support for future generations of entrepreneurs across the UAE.
The programme was launched under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Wife of the His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and Honourary Chairperson of SBWC, aims to facilitate the establishment of entrepreneurship and expanding businesses in Sharjah in the coming years.
Usha Kaul, Project Director at Education For Employment, told to The Gulf Today: “Under Jeel, EFE will conduct a needs assessment of the local market. Also, there is a three-day ‘Ideation Camp’ which will teach 75 participants the basic elements of entrepreneurship.
“The camp will be followed by a three-month long, in-depth training in entrepreneurship and business planning development, provided to a select group of 20 to 25 entrepreneurs. This group of committed and passionate entrepreneurs will receive individual counselling, coaching and mentorship for each project. After this, around six to eight business plans that are considered the best will enter the programme’s incubator for advanced ongoing support and development,” she added.
Asking about the details of the three-day workshops, she said: “The Business Ideation Workshop is the first of a series of workshops in the Jeel programme based on the world-renowned Intel® Youth Enterprise Ideation Camp curriculum, delivered by EFE Master Trainer, Raed Rajab along with two other EFE trainers, Saro Nakashian and Enas Dahadna.”
She added that the SBWC and EFE have chosen 75 participants to attend the workshop and aims to help generate innovative and creative business ideas amongst the participants. Once the three-day workshop is complete, participants can apply for competitive entrepreneurship training, which is an extensive programme that will provide in-depth training limited to 25 potential entrepreneurs, and will be conducted over several months starting early 2016.
She has been asked whether it’s the first time of EFE to hold certain project in the Arab region, and she replied saying: “EFE has been working in the Middle East and North Africa since 2006, delivering demand-driven youth employment and entrepreneurship programmes in countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Palestine, Morocco, Tunisia and Yemen. However, it has expanded its work to the UAE and Saudi Arabia in 2015. Since its inception, the EFE Network has forged partnership agreements with almost 2000 companies and institutions to create job opportunities in the MENA region, and trained an additional 30,000 youth in workforce readiness and entrepreneurship skills. Around 52 per cent participants of various EFE programmes are female.”
Kaul believes that partnership with SBWC and JEEL programme are EFE’s flagship project in the UAE, adding: “We look forward to a long-term strategic partnership with SBWC to expand and replicate the JEEL programme across the UAE.”
Voice of the Participants:
The Gulf Today met a number of the Emirati participants who are attending the three-day workshops, asking them about the reason of participation in Jeel.
Sharifa Hasan Mohammed, one of the participants, said: “I have an ongoing project and it has been demanded by the audience, but I’m still worried about opening my own shop since I don’t have enough experience in marketing and commercial methods. Therefore, I expect that I’ll benefit from this workshop which will push me towards the right track of business, and I will develop more self-confidence and professional skills.”
Sheikha Rashid Al Yihyaei, another participant said: “I joined this workshop to develop my personal project. I was dreaming about achieving it in real life, so I expect this workshop will build my project and help me plan for the best level.”
Rashid Mohammed Al Salami, another participant, said: “I’m looking forward to benefiting from this workshop in the entrepreneurship field. I will be able to translate it into successful projects that will benefit the economy of Dibba Al Hisn.”
