(Opportunity 2022) .. Supporting young people to enter the labor market and spread the culture of entrepreneurship

Damascus-SANA

Pioneering youth projects from various universities were hosted over two days by the first entrepreneurial investment forum “Opportunity 2022” organized by the National Union of Syrian Students and the Young Entrepreneurs Association “SIA” at the Rida Saeed Conference Center at Damascus University.

The forum, which included 21 projects for 33 young entrepreneurs, aims to open the horizon for university students, graduates, and youth to enter the labor market and production through pioneering projects that constitute one of the carriers of the small economy, by creating an integrated entrepreneurial environment for these projects, including qualitative leadership training that ensures access For an integrated file to be presented to various financing institutions, in addition to the first-time venture investors in Syria.

President of the National Union of Syrian Students, Dareen Suleiman, explained during a press conference today that the projects participating in the forum come in the context of the completed episode that must link thought, pioneering ambition and the environment necessary to turn it into successful projects of economic feasibility, indicating that a number of representatives of the supporting and donor institutions participated in the forum Believing in the role of these institutions in supporting entrepreneurial projects on the one hand and their ideas to develop this type of experience and expand its scope among the youth segment.

Suleiman pointed out that the forum came out of the union’s plan and its vital and developmental role in supporting student and youth work projects and in line with its steps in linking the university with society and networking between entrepreneurs and projects and between supporting and donors, in addition to spreading the culture of entrepreneurship and self-employment among young people, especially in light of the current economic conditions. Encouraging students and entrepreneurs to transform their ideas and projects into an investmentable product and directing attention towards the necessity that graduation projects be viable and an investment product.

Suleiman noted the support that young people and university students enjoy from Ms. Asma al-Assad, and pointed out the importance of her visit to the forum and her meeting with the participating young pioneers and representatives of the business sector and microfinance companies to emphasize the need to support this group of society.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Young Entrepreneurs Association “SIA” Louay Al-Munajjid explained that the forum is the result of two years of hard work in a fruitful partnership with the Student Union, where there was integration and harmony to achieve a common goal, which is the interest of the Syrian youth and giving them the opportunity to form themselves and move them from job seekers to Its makers in addition to implanting the concept and culture of leadership with them.

In turn, Bashar Al-Sit, CEO of Syria International Islamic Bank, the diamond sponsor of the forum, pointed out that the projects of the forum rise to be global projects with patents, indicating that the bank has a role in this field, as a consultant that provides financial, organizational and administrative advice to the pioneers, and the second is a financing role for these projects, pointing out that Seven financing agreements were signed with the participants in the forum.

CEO of Ebdaa Microfinance Bank, Adib Sharaf, said that several participating projects were selected for financing, such as smart applications projects and support for digital transformation, in addition to agricultural projects, indicating that this matter comes within the bank's strategy to support entrepreneurship in the community.

In meetings with the entrepreneurs participating in the forum, Dr. Hussein Najjar said that he and his colleague are participating in the Hakim “Kafu” stethoscope application project to connect needy patients with donors via an electronic platform, indicating that the added value of the project aims to provide support to needy patients in light of the great pressure on the government health service system, in addition. It is a platform for volunteers with experience in the medical field to provide free advice.

And from the Faculty of Agriculture, graduate Rola Rumman indicated that she and her colleague Reem Al-Numan are participating in a project that includes the production of multi-use insulating building materials “organic insulating bricks” made from mushroom residues and can be used in construction and thermal insulation operations, which is less expensive for farmers, especially oyster mushroom growers. Among Osama Farhat that His project is an organic reactor for the residues of the natural mountain juice plant located in As-Suwayda Governorate, which can be used to generate biogas and provide the plant for operation and provide an integrated environmental and economic solution.

The conclusion of the forum witnessed the signing of preliminary agreements between twenty young men and women entrepreneurs participating in the forum, and the supporting and donor agencies such as banks and financing institutions.

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