Mercy Corps

Published purpose

This project aims to engage women and youth in technology-enabled careers in the West Bank and Gaza. This is done by addressing key barriers to their employment, connecting them with employment opportunities, and assisting them in creating sustainable employment opportunities for themselves by facilitating the growth of viable start-ups. The project directly addresses the myriad challenges facing new entrepreneurs and tech-enabled workers. Project activities include: (1) developing a local career-counselling guide for technology-enabled careers as an alternative to traditional employment; (2) training female and male youth through courses, apprenticeships and internships in the technical skills demanded by employers; (3) running an apprenticeship programme for small groups of online freelancers; (4) mentoring sessions for young women entrepreneurs, linking them with successful international or local businesswomen; and (5) incubating and/or accelerating start-ups, including helping them validate and refine their products/service offerings and business plans. The project is implemented by Mercy Corps.