Entrepreneurship incubator in Saida for upgrading youth’s capacities

In coordination with UNESCO Regional Director in Beirut, Hamad Humami, MP Bahiya Hariri launched the first anniversary of the Outreach and Leadership Academy (OLA) which is the result of a partnership between the Lebanese American University (LAU) and the Hariri Foundation. The event was hosted at the historic building of Aisha Um Al Moo2mineen School in the Old Saida neighborhood, and brought together a number of artisans and merchants, in addition to young beneficiaries who completed a series of training workshops organized last year by the Academy. The event also witnessed the inauguration of the ‘entrepreneurship incubator’ which was set up in cooperation with UNESCO and funded by the Finnish government. On the occasion, Hariri underlined the main purpose behind establishing OLA center which is to contribute to educational justice in Lebanon through the extension of opportunities and the development of students’ capacities. “Everyone is gifted but needs orientation to express and enhance his/her talents,” Hariri noted. She said that the problem lies in the nature of the public educational system and that the Academy seeks to intensify training courses to counter the educational injustice. 

(Al Mustaqbal, An Nahar, February 11, 2016)