EmpowerME has equipped more than 86,000 young people across MENA and Türkiye with practical skills for work and entrepreneurship in its first year, pairing intensive, mentor‑led learning with ambassador‑led local trainings. The three‑year, USD 6 million partnership by the Starbucks Foundation and Alshaya Group, delivered with INJAZ Al‑Arab/JA MENA and Habitat Association, aims to empower 250,000 youth across nine markets.
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Youth from across MENA gather for an EmpowerME training session—building futures through mentorship, entrepreneurship, and hands-on learning. (Photo: AETOSWire)
INJAZ engaged 41,769 youth across Egypt, Kuwait, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Of these, 5,013 participated in intensive, hands‑on programs such as the Company Program, Innovation Day Camps, Sustainability & Green Entrepreneurship, and employability pathways; a further 36,756 joined webinars and short‑format sessions. Among the intensive cohorts were 3,710 young women, 3,221 youth facing barriers to opportunity, and 1,174 vocational students, with participation from refugees and orphans across several markets. Sixty‑one Starbucks partners volunteered as mentors, coaches, and judges, alongside 611 community volunteers.
Habitat scaled localized training and a regional entrepreneurship pipeline across Türkiye, Jordan, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan. In Türkiye, 149 youth ambassadors delivered 572 trainings, reaching 42,108 youth in educational, municipal, and youth centers, Habitat stations, and Starbucks stores across 40 cities. Four career planning webinars also supported 204 young people. In Jordan, 23 newly trained ambassadors have reached over 2,400 youth since April, complemented by seven psychosocial support workshops serving 201 participants — at least half from refugee communities — with 12 workshops planned for the year. Across Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, 428 young people joined bootcamps and a hackathon; 14 teams advanced to the International Acceleration Program, culminating in a Demo Day in Istanbul where the three winning startups received a total grant support of $17,500.
“Opening accessible learning spaces and connecting youth to mentors turns skills into confidence and concrete outcomes,” said Mohammad Mahmoud Al Najjar, Senior Vice President of Starbucks at Alshaya Group. “Year One shows that locally delivered, hands‑on programs can scale quickly while deepening inclusion.”
Year Two plans will widen access and strengthen outcomes. INJAZ will expand EmpowerME into Morocco, Bahrain, and Qatar, and enhance hybrid delivery and mentor matching. Habitat will scale the ambassador‑led network in Jordan, complete all 12 psychosocial workshops, and continue store‑based learning in Türkiye and Jordan. Together, the partners will deepen green and digital skills while keeping EmpowerME on track to equip 250,000 youth over three years.
Starbucks at Alshaya Group
Starbucks® Coffee Company, the international coffeehouse and roastery chain, operates in the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia regions as a licensed franchise under the umbrella of Alshaya Group, one of the world’s leading brand franchise operators. As the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the region, Starbucks at Alshaya Group seamlessly integrates global coffee expertise and local knowhow.
*Source: AETOSWire
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