Women Empowerment for SME Management

December 8-10, 2016

Based on a collaborative initiative with the Center for Entrepreneurship (CFE) and the Faculty of Business Administration at Beirut Arab University (BAU), and the Lebanese League for Women in Business (LLWB) and RCED, a workshop on “Women Empowerment for SME Management” was organized at RCED-Bekaa during December 8-10, 2016.

• Promoting business management skills of rural women
• Enhancing women’s role in local economic development

During the interactive sessions of the workshop, experts and mentors from BAU and successful business women from LLWB provided more than 35 women of all across Bekaa with knowledge and skills needed for business start-up and survival and good practice for building confidence and for resolving real-life business problems.

After a welcoming speech by RCED director, Dr. Safaa Baydoun, and CFE director, Dr. Wassim Itani, experts from the Faculty of Business Administration at BAU; Prof. Nehal Mostapha, Prof. Wagdi Higazi, Dr. Abdalla Nasreddine, Dr. Ekrami Mokhtar, Prof. Ahmad Slim and Dr. Alaa Abbas, exchanged with participats information and experience on challenges and important aspects necessary for successful management of women owned start-up businesses and SMEs. The experts also shared knowledge on the importance of the role of women’s entrepreneurs in economic growth and various aspects of successful business planning, management skills, finance and human resources management and marketing.

Moderated by the engineer Mrs. Najah Jaroush, the LLWB inspirational panel introduced the success stories of several women entrepreneurs; Ms. Yusr Sabra, Mrs. Haya elKassem, Mrs. Lina Idriss, Mrs. Kinana Rahhal and Mrs. Chantal Rbay.

Manager Mrs. Sabine Rbeiz Kassis from BLOM Bank, the sponsor of the event introduced the various funding products and explained the terms and conditions of each product wishing women entrepreneurs all the success through the different steps of their business development.

At closing ceremony certificates were distributed while women participants expressed their sincere appreciation for the efforts of the organizers and their wishes to attend for further training.