Tuesday, March 14th, 2017, the Lebanese Organization of Studies and Training (LOST), in partnership with UNICEF, Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT), and INJAZ held an orientation for the Innovation Lab project. Thirty attendees from the four branches (Ein, Baalbeck, Britel, and Bedneyel) that will implement the innovation lab project attended the orientation.
To begin the orientation, Mr. Assem Chreif gave a presentation about the youth program that has been implemented over the years at LOST. Furthermore, the innovation lab manager at UNICEF, Mrs. Tamara Zakaria gave a presentation about the purpose of the program, and the impact it has on youth. Mrs. Zakaria explained that the program will consist of two types of trainings, aimed at encouraging youth to be creative and enabling them to come up with creative ideas that address problems they are facing in society. After completing these trainings, some of these youth might be given an opportunity to start their own businesses, by using their acquired skills, which will differentiate them in the marketplace.
Moreover, Mrs. Marianne Bitar, the country director of Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT) in Lebanon gave a presentation about the trainings that will consist of two levels: digital skills, and how to come up with creative ideas using digital skills. Mrs. Fayza Mhanna, the executive director at INJAZ also gave a presentation about entrepreneurship skills training and creativity. During this training, attendees will learn to create ideas and projects that generate income, and serve their society. Youth will receive seed funding of about 2,000 dollars to implement their ideas.
At the conclusion of the orientation, the organizations agreed to keep in touch with LOST staff, until the launching day of the project. The branch representatives, which consisted of a lab manager and two outreach officers, presented about their assessment areas that they worked in, discussed the plan, and the progress of the project. LOST, UNICEF, DOT, and INJAZ will set up a work plan for the four branches. At this point, each branch has initiated the outreach phase. This orientation was in preparation of the launching day of the project, which is expected to kick off during the month of April.
