REGIONAL HIGHLIGHTS:
In Egypt, a range of tools have been developed for aspiring and existing entrepreneurs through the Community-Based Enterprise Development (C-BED) programme which uses ‘learning without a trainer’ methodology that is applied through action-based group learning. In two-day workshops, entrepreneurs were able to help each other understand formal business concepts, such as costing or marketing, and develop stronger skills for business improvement. An Introduction and Demonstration Training on C-BED was implemented in Alexandria in December with a range of 3RP livelihood actors which was followed by a demonstration training with groups of refugees.
Positive feedback was received with suggestions on how to best adapt the tool to the context in Egypt, and the training will be tested with urban refugees. C-BED will be included as part of the business training for the self-employment track in 2016.
In Turkey, almost 840 beneficiaries were trained in life and vocational skills in Sanlirfa and Hatay, while equipment for Public Education Centres was purchased as is being distributed for graphic design and textile training programmes in a range of locations.
Protocols were signed in December with stakeholders including the South-eastern Anatolia Development Project - which is a significant milestone towards the beginning of a vocational training programme in 2016. Tenders were also launched for equipment to operationalize the vocational training centres.
In Lebanon a community support project engaged 240 previously unemployed Syrian refugees and Lebanese youth in repair, rehabilitation and clean-up of roads benefitting eight municipalities in Akkar.
In Jordan, a two-day festival was held in the northern city of Ramtha to promote home-based businesses for both Syrian and Jordanian families, part of a wider effort to enhance employment opportunities in communities straining to cope with large numbers of refugees.