The programme partnered with membership-based organizations like federations of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and the Alexandria Business Association to support business development. PROSPECTS developed and rolled out the Digitalize your Business (DYB) training tool as a complementary module to the Start and Improve your Business (SIYB) package for micro and small enterprises, including those run by refugees. Find out more in the case study.

Inspired by the model in Uganda, BDS providers in Ethiopia formed an association/network of certified SIYB and GET Ahead trainers to better organize and respond to training requests, expanding the reach of ILO-certified training. Jigjiga University’s Business Incubation Centre incorporated SIYB and GET Ahead as part of its training offerings. PROSPECTS also developed and operationalized a Youth-to-Youth Fund, a grant scheme supporting youth-led organizations to deliver entrepreneurship training, vocational training and facilitate access to finance for young people, including refugees. Read this success story of an ILO Business Plan Competition winner.

In the Kurdistan region, which is home to the largest number of refugees in Iraq, PROSPECTS collaborated with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (MOLSA) to train staff in SIYB and facilitate its expansion through MOLSA’s vocational training centres. The programme linked BDS training with access to financial services (specifically, loans provided after training) and provided financial education in partnership with the Central Bank.

The programme built on a long standing partnership with the Jordan Chamber of Industry (JCI) and expanded its services to MSMEs in sectors employing and serving refugees. This involved training JCI staff as SCORE trainers and working towards institutionalizing the methodology within the Chamber. It also worked with the Jordan Enterprise Development Corporation and Development and Employment Fund (JEDCO), as well as four microfinance institutions, to capacitate a cadre of SIYB trainers. 

The Women Enterprise Fund (WEF) in Kenya formalized a partnership to adopt GET Ahead for use across the country, targeting women enterprises for business and financial skills training. “Embracing Digital,” a localized form of DYB, was also used through the Turkana Chamber of Commerce business support desk. The Chambers in Garissa and Turkana provide mentoring and on-site coaching in branding, pricing, record-keeping, and digital marketing. PROSPECTS also incorporated SIYB training to build the capacity of entrepreneurs engaged in the Prosopis value chain. 

PROSPECTS focused on Lebanon’s agriculture sector, partnering with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) to develop and pilot an Improve Your Agriculture Business (IYAB) training guide for farmers and input suppliers. Amid multiple economic crises, the programme shifted its focus from business start-ups to supporting business continuity and resilience. The programme team developed a training and coaching programme around business continuity and resilience, to help business owners maintain operations and avoid laying off workers. Read more about Lebanon’s My First Business entrepreneurship training programme.

PROSPECTS in Uganda partnered with membership-based organizations like the Federation of MSMEs and the Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association Limited (UWEAL) to expand the ILO's SIYB and GET Ahead training in refugee-hosting areas. The programme adapted training materials in partnership with a refugee-led organization, Unleashed, to combine entrepreneurship with support for youth employment in Uganda, and integrated SIYB with UNICEF's i-UPSHIFT. PROSPECTS also invested in training and certifying refugee trainers, supporting the expansion of the Business Development Service Providers’ Network (BDSPN). It adapted the DYB model locally, as "Embracing Digital in Uganda," training 20 trainers locally. One DYB trainer from the RYLO Unleashes created this video, sharing the experience in Uganda.