Young Entrepreneur’s Program (YEP) began in 2009 as a training and exchange program with funding from the U.S. Department of State to address economic challenges of marginalized groups, specifically young women and persons with disabilities, in Egypt. HANDS hosted first a group of disabled entrepreneurs in Chicago in 2010, then young female craft makers in Washington D.C. in 2011. These exchange programs offered training, mentorship, and support for the participants’ small businesses, through workshops, networking events, and seminars hosted by American professionals and experts from private sector, government and civil society groups. HANDS held two more exchanges in Egypt in 2012, which invited both alumni of the program and new participants to engage with American visitors to learn about business development. From 2012-2016, we continued to host training programs in Egypt with our partner organization Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services (CEOSS).
In 2016, HANDS received a new grant from the U.S. Embassy in Egypt to continue the program, this time providing local small business training for female craft makers and some disabled small business owners. This program also provided online training with American entrepreneurs and mentors. With this grant we were able to host multiple sessions, allowing us to reach many craft makers and small business owners. Several trainers from the US traveled to Egypt and hosted craft business specific trainings. An important outcome of YEP was that the alumni of this program became empowered to train others in what they learned.
At the conclusion of our second grant, HANDS hosted a competition for the best small business/product idea called Your Dream in Your Hand. The top winners of the competition were awarded small grants to produce their ideas in the form of equipment needed for their small businesses to grow. You can read some of their stories here:
With the continuous help of organizational and individual donors we have already provided training to almost 200 young Egyptians through YEP program, and in 2025, we plan to continue providing this type of training for female craft makers in rural Upper Egypt. For women in these communities, who otherwise have limited access to education or jobs, this is a life-changing opportunity.
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