Egypt - IOM Egypt is providing entrepreneurship trainings and mentorship to 180 youth participants from three governorates in Egypt through Innovety, a management training and consulting company.

The European Union-funded intervention is part of IOM Egypt’s efforts to curb the irregular migration of young people by enhancing their employment prospects and employability.

After successfully completing the trainings, 90 participants will be selected to meet real Egyptian investors and funding institutions to pitch their ideas. Of these, at least 20 will be assisted by IOM Egypt with in-kind donations to support their businesses.

“For me and my team, it was inspiring to be at the forefront of shaping the new wave of the Egyptian youth entrepreneurship, exposing them to knowledge that can forever change the course of their lives and those of the people around them,” said Innovety VP and founding partner Sherif Makhlouf.

The training is part of a series of interventions that IOM Egypt is implementing to support the government in tackling unemployment and underemployment in communities throughout the country that have witnessed outward and irregular migration.

This is usually due to limited job opportunities for under-skilled youth and non-aligned local labour markets, as well as inflows of Egyptian workers returning from Libya.

“Addressing the socio-economic development of local communities – and providing entrepreneurship education and training paths to create jobs – is not only a preventive measure against irregular migration. It also creates an environment that offers real possibilities for the reunification of Egyptian returnees within their communities of origin,” said IOM program officer Zeinab Sabet.

In 2015, over 1,200 Egyptians were employed through IOM Egypt’s interventions in the labour market. Another 4,000 were referred to jobs after receiving training provided by IOM.

For further information, please contact Zeinab Sabet at IOM Egypt. Tel: +202-27365140, Email: iomegypt@iom.int