This round of YEP is part of Citi Foundation's Pathways to Progress global approach to prepare urban youth to thrive in today's economy by developing economic opportunities for youth through activities such as entrepreneurship, education, engagement in the formal economy through first jobs, and the acquisition of leadership, financial, and workplace skills.
The program is one of several initiatives that Amideast and Citi Foundation have undertaken to expand economic opportunities for youth in the MENA region through employability skills and entrepreneurship training. It builds upon Amideast’s previous and other ongoing Egyptian collaborations with Citi Foundation, beginning in 2014 and continuing through a previous YEP cohort just the year before this one, as well as previous YEP and other highly successful workforce skills programs that advanced the entrepreneurship dreams of nearly 100 young Egyptian men and women.
Designed and implemented by Amideast Egypt, YEP calls on all Egyptian youth aged 20-28 from the Upper Egypt area who have remarkable business ideas and have just started their own businesses to apply. The program will provide training and access to resources including incubation space, attendance at business summits around Egypt, coaching, and mentoring. In addition, participants will have an opportunity to compete for seed funding under the grant
The program will also feature a Pay-It-Forward component, an innovative feature of many Amideast programs that will empower participants to lead workshops in which they share the knowledge they acquire during the program with peers in their communities. The benefits to our primary participants and those they themselves reach are significant.
Program Details
The program will provide participants with:
- 216 hours of training in entrepreneurship, business management, and personal development
- Interactive support through mentorship and coaching
- Financial and legal consultation to launch a business in Egypt
- Opportunity for incubation at a state-of-the-art facility and offices allowing networking and sharing of best practices
- Access and connection to networks established by Amideast’s strong presence in Egypt and the MENA region for nearly 70 years
- Participation in tailored interactive workshops by leading entrepreneurs
- Advanced training-of-trainers in entrepreneurship to assist others in learning how to start a business
- Opportunity for seed funding for high potential ideas/projects
Program graduates will also be eligible to join Amideast’s extensive alumni network, giving them additional access to resources and connections that the American nonprofit organization has developed during its decades-long commitment to the MENA region.
Eligibility
Applicants who wish to apply for the program must meet the following criteria:
- Egyptian citizens residing in Upper Egypt area
- Age 20-28
- Have a developed idea or have taken concrete steps towards the implementation of their business
- Have 2-4 business partners
- Have business ideas that are innovative and focused on the development of Egypt in the areas of, but not limited to, education, agriculture, transportation, health and environment
- Be engaged in community service activities
- Committed to the program and establishing a business
- Have high potential and limited access to opportunity
* Groups are encouraged to apply separately but must state the same business name in the application.
TO APPLY
Please submit your application as follows:
- Complete the online application.
- Submit all required documents and media.
- Photo
- CV
- Brief description of idea/business (500 words)
- Video. (1. Go to Google Drive, 2. Upload a two-minute video of yourself and your team giving a brief overview of your business and send it to dkhairy@amideast.org)
