Due to a combination of containment measures for COVID-19 and a worsening economic crisis, two out of every three Lebanese households suffer from a reduced income compared to the previous year, while about 10 percent reported that their households are resorting to alternative income sources to make ends meet.
As a response to this emerging pandemic, the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) in partnership with BMZ started implementing the BEAT program in order to provide vulnerable people with a chance to increase their income in light of the economic crisis. Business, Entrepreneurship, and Advanced training (BEAT) project is the extension of BINA Craft Skills School project in Lebanon. This project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) via Sequa and implemented by LOST. In the BEAT program, 500 participants, above 18 years old will complete 12 hours of theoretical and practical business management lessons. From this group, 150 will receive a startup fund in a form of in-kind support with the value of a maximum of 1,000 Euros according to specific criteria for selection. The in-kind items provided to the participants can also be granted to already running micro and small businesses that are seeking development.
The trainers from LOST will accompany the selected participants and will follow up with them to maintain work stability in the market. The trainers are trained by experts from BFZ and other successful consultants in the field of “Capacity Building on Startups, MSMEs, and COOPs” in addition to technical trainings. This project will aid in providing employability for 150 persons and the support of domestic businesses in an area that suffer from a high unemployment rate (60%). Also, this will improve the livelihoods of the participants.
Dr. Rami Lakkis, founder of LOST, hosted a launching event with the participants of the BEAT Program in the community farm on July 20, 2020. In this meeting, Dr. Lakkis explained to the selected participants of the first training cycle in BEAT the methodology and the concept of the program, and he also announced the beginning of the first four training classes with the selected trainers. The selection of the participants for the classes was based on the diversity among business ideas generated by each participant and the domain of domestic businesses.
