Lebanon’s Small Business Owners Build Skills and Market Links With EU and ILO Support

The ILO delivered the entrepreneurship component in partnership with Lebanon’s Ministry of Social Affairs and in collaboration with the Lebanese NGO Association d’Entraide Professionnelle (AEP) and Oxfam.

Turning a skill or business idea into a dependable income takes more than determination, particularly for entrepreneurs facing limited access to finance and economic uncertainty in Lebanon. Training, practical guidance and opportunities to reach customers formed the core of the entrepreneurship component of ENABLE, an EU-funded programme implemented by the International Labour Organization (ILO). Its completion brought government representatives, European Union officials, implementing and development partners, trainers and entrepreneurs together in Beirut to reflect on the results and the support needed to carry that work forward.

Practical support reaches entrepreneurs at different stages

The ILO delivered the entrepreneurship component in partnership with Lebanon's Ministry of Social Affairs and in collaboration with the Lebanese NGO Association d'Entraide Professionnelle (AEP) and Oxfam. Aspiring entrepreneurs and people already running businesses received support that combined entrepreneurship and financial education with tailored coaching, mentoring, in-kind assistance and opportunities to connect with markets. The work forms part of ENABLE's broader efforts to advance economic inclusion and expand livelihood and employment opportunities in Lebanon, helping participants develop the skills and practical foundations needed to build their businesses.

Across the component's different interventions, 454 beneficiaries received entrepreneurship training, an additional 300 took part in financial education, and 55 entrepreneurs received in-kind grants accompanied by continued coaching to support business development and sustainability. Participants speaking at the closing event described how the assistance helped them improve business and financial management skills, respond to challenges and recognise market opportunities. A video followed their journeys from training and business development support to putting those skills into practice and engaging with markets, connecting the programme's figures with the experiences behind them.

Business owners bring their progress to the exhibition floor

An exhibition of participating entrepreneurs' products and services gave visitors a chance to speak directly with business owners, explore their work and discuss potential connections. For the entrepreneurs, it provided space to expand their networks and explore routes to market. Guests were introduced to the ILO's Start and Improve Your Business (SIYB) programme and invited to access a catalogue featuring many of the supported microentrepreneurs and their offerings, giving them another way to discover the businesses represented through the programme.

Claire Courteille-Mulder, ILO Deputy Regional Director for Arab States, described the personal effort behind the results, recognising participants who developed ideas, learned new skills, took risks and worked through difficulties to build more secure livelihoods. She identified stronger entrepreneurial skills, certified trainers, improved national systems and lessons for future support as part of the programme's legacy. Cyril Dewaleyne, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Lebanon, highlighted the financing barriers and economic uncertainty facing microentrepreneurs, recognising their contribution to family incomes, communities and a more inclusive, resilient economy.

Keeping knowledge and support within local institutions

The closing event showcased Lebanon's network of SIYB trainers and master trainers, developed with support from various ILO programmes, whose role extends beyond individual training sessions. Those attending shared their experiences of transferring knowledge and strengthening the ability of national and local organisations to provide quality entrepreneurship services. Their contribution matters to the continuation of business support because the skills developed through such programmes can remain within institutions and communities, helping future entrepreneurs access guidance from trainers familiar with the local environment.

Representing the Ministry of Social Affairs, Dr. Suhair El Ghali described the completed component as an experience to learn from and build upon, setting out priorities to sustain support, expand the ministry's SIYB trainer network and strengthen its presence in Social Development Centres. She called for closer connections with economic inclusion programmes, placing entrepreneurship support within a wider effort to improve livelihoods. The component's completion marks a milestone for ENABLE, with participating businesses, trained professionals and the lessons gathered during implementation providing a foundation for the next phase of entrepreneurship support in Lebanon.