Libya

LIBYA ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT (LEE)

2012 - 2019

LEE stands for MEDA’s Libya Economic Empowerment project.

Overview

LEE

LEE stands for MEDA’s Libya Economic Empowerment project.

Goal

The goal of the project is to contribute to the growth of the Libyan non-oil private sector through strong, knowledgeable and competitive business women and youth who operate successful and job creating enterprises.

Reach

The project will partner with 11,200 women and youth entrepreneurs to facilitate sustainable job opportunities.

Context

In Libya, business support networks for entrepreneurs in general, and for youth entrepreneurs in particular, are weak. As a result, promising entrepreneurs in need of mentoring, access to finance, and improved general business acumen are failing to commercialize good ideas and to develop job-creating businesses at a time of heightened economic fragility in the country.

Innovation and risk-taking suffer from lack of encouragement, infrastructure, and cultural restrictions. Women and youth in particular, face barriers to access to credit and market systems.

Opportunity

Low farm and enterprise productivity is partly attributable to inadequate use and access to technology. As found in the 2011 Fourth Agriculture Census, only one to 2% of Nicaraguan small-scale farmers have access to basic technologies, such as improved seeds and irrigation.

Technology finance for farmers and enterprises is also in short supply. Equipment distributors and agri-food processors with growth potential find it difficult to access the capital, technical and mentoring assistance they need to grow into vibrant, competitive engines of equitable growth. Nicaragua needs to spur export growth, and thereby sustainably expand livelihood opportunities for small-scale farmers with special attention to women producers.

Strategy

To address this, MEDA, in partnership with USAID, is establishing an SME (Small and Medium Enterprises) development program which will provide business-oriented youth with the capacity building training required to develop their businesses and take these to the next level. Women and youth owners of SMEs will develop and expand their businesses through training, coaching/mentorship, networking opportunities and buyer engagement. A matching grants fund will help propel the most promising businesses forward towards growth and job creation. The project also strives to partner with and help build nascent Libyan civil society organizations; a new possibility in post-Gadhafi Libya.

Program Closed

After 7 years of relentless and exciting work, the Libya Economic Empowerment (LEE) programme has reached the end of its journey.

While we say goodbye, we would like to thank all those who have honored us with their presence during their effective participation at our activities. We would also like to extend our gratitude to the individuals and institutions who partnered and implemented the various activities of the LEE project in many Libyan cities, (east, west and south) without whom this would not have been possible. We have indeed learned immensely from you. You are so many which is why we will not be listing the names here, but your achievements are already available on our page over the years for everyone to see and read about.

Additionally, we cannot forget that the most important factor for success is the teamwork and perseverance. So let us raise a special thanks to all the members of the MEDA Libya team since 2013 up to now- each one of you have left their special mark on the project and we are proud of your cooperation with us.

As we say goodbye to everyone today, we wish you all the best, success, health and well-being.