Articles - BIP Iraq 2022

BIP’s main partner in Iraq, the ALOLA Org in cooperation with MOLSA Vocational Training and Labor Directorate, have started the process of qualifying Incubator and Business Centers in all Iraq. The General Manager of ALOLA Org. was at the opening ceremony for BPD workshops in Karbala on 21-24/11/2022.

18 participants from 15 Employment and Loan Departments from all Iraq joined the training which was given by Dr. Hussein Tahir, BIP’s expert trainer, and Fadil Aljabry, the Mentor Trainer from Karbala VTC. Mentor Trainer Rasha Tariq and Jafar Johi gave a summary about Incubator Centers and roles.

Four days training covered how to develop a business idea, where all participants, including the three from Baghdad Incubator Center- MoLSA were involved. Many types of trainings are used in the workshop, and all the participants were happy with the trainings and the exercises they were given.

The results of the evaluation showed that all participants were satisfied with the topics covered and the training in general, giving an overall score of 5.7 out of a possible 6. They gave 5.7 to the trainer and 5.00 to how it was organized.

As follow up an Excel report was delivered to the participants to register all activity they shall do in the next period until February. They asked BIP and ALOLA to give good feedback to the stakeholders in the Ministry to go forward and implement the training for new groups and training participants.

The third season of the Student Enterprises Program in Iraq by local NGOs with support of The Embassy of Norway has started.

On Monday September 5th about 50 participants gathered for the third season Student Enterprises Opening Ceremony. Eng. Layla Mahdi, president of the Alola Org., held the opening address in The Training Center for Production and Investment of the MoE Vocational Education Directorate. She presented the program directly to the attendees and informed about the positive work done at the Vocational School in the previous year.

The Manager of the Training Center – Vocational Education Eng. Thair Mizher gave speech on the opening day also. He told how BIP tools give students important skills about how to start their own business in a perfect way, and that the expert trainers will transfer these skills and the information in an appealing way.

Twenty-five teachers and managers, from 10 Vocational Education Schools in Baghdad, are participating the Student Enterprise Program in Iraq Third Season 2022-2023 with Alola Organization. These High Schools are from six Baghdad Vocational areas and include five girls’ schools and five boys’ schools. Building abilities and entrepreneurship skills are the goals of the schools. Training Leaders and Student Enterprisers was the goal of the courses.

The administration from Alola Org and four BIP Mentor trainers joined the courses along with the primary International BIP Training Expert Dr. Hussein Tahir in all the cities. Dr. Tahir the started the training in Baghdad with the 25 teachers and school managers from ten Vocational Schools.

The training courses were held 5-7/9/2022 at the Baghdad Vocational Education Training, Production, and Investment Centre of the Vocational Education Directorate. The assistant trainers were Fatima Rifat, Aola Hussein, Meisem Rahim and Shams Salim.

The lastest SE Fair was held on 24/5/2022 at the Sheraton Hotel (ERBIL INTENATIONAL HOTEL) where 35 projects participated, including (19) projects from Erbil, 10 projects from Suleymaniyah, 6 projects from Duhok, 17 Vocational Schools, and 98 students.

First Mr. Hogr started by giving a speech about the BIP PROJECT then some private sector key people gave a speech and support our project. These included the Rwanga foundation and Mr. Abdullah, the Ministry of Education and Mr. Hawta, the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs with Mr. Sherzad, Miss Payman from Tavkar schools, and KOHRW with Mr. Hoshyar. They all gave their speeches supporting the projects and students and encouraged them to have their own business. Among other invitees from the public and private sectors were the Chamber of Commerce from Erbil, Fly Erbil aviation, Al-Qimma company as a sponsor, and the Dabin Group as a sponsor. Many students and teachers participated in Fair, coming from Suleymaniyah, Duhok, and Erbil.

After that each group of students gave their presentation about their projects and explained the aim of the projects to the Evaluation Committee.

In this type of Fair, 3 top projects become winners. They were, in 1st place a project for growing plants without soil. In 2nd place, a concept for production of electricity, and in 3rd place a Kurd game application.

On April 29th, 2022, the Norwegian Ambassador, Alola Org President and BIP Manager met in Baghdad to celebrate ten years of successfully creating jobs in Iraq.

Since November 2011 the Norwegian Embassy has supported many programs for establishing new businesses and jobs in Iraq in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor & Social Affairs, the Ministry of Education, and the main partner, the Alola Organization.

Layla Mahdi from Alola welcomed His Excellency Ambassador Espen Lindbæck, First Secretary Ole Denstad and counsellor Erik Husem and expressed sincere thanks for the support given by Norway for establishing new job creation programs in Iraq.

Mrs. Mahdi told of the appreciation for the support given to BIP programs which can be used for women and young people in schools and outside schools. She said `` We are very happy to be able to offer training to women who need it, and so they can participate in these trainings and have a good sense of achievement. At the same time The Student Enterprises Program has made schools more attractive, and we have made some amazing relationships between the students, teachers, and their schools. We are giving voice to their life.

Ambassador Lindbæck attended the Women Empowerment training in Irbid –Jordan and gave a speech and expressed his happiness about the great work that has been accomplished during the past ten years in Iraq with the provision of job opportunities. This is an important issue for the future of Iraq. He expressed appreciation for the role of BIP and Alola organization play in this matter and told that he is happy to continue these activities to establish more new job opportunities for young people and women. His Excellency knows women at work are important for the country's economy and BIP training fits in well.

The Ambassador and his team attend a training in Jordan and said he was pleased to transfer this kind activity abroad, because creating of job opportunities is very important matter in the twenty first century in the Middle East. The programs in question are for Women’s Entrepreneurship, Student Enterprises and Business Incubator Centers.

Hussein Tahir, BIP Manager for the MENA programs, thanked the Norwegian Embassy for supporting BIP programs and helping the Iraqi ministries and organizations with the qualification of certified trainers and for facilitating trainings for the creation of jobs for women, the unemployed, teachers, students, innovation idea owner, handicapped and many others. Dr. Tahir awarded the BIP logo plate to Ambassador Lindbæck and wished him every success in his period as ambassador.

Dr. Tahir also mentioned the valuable follow-up given by First Secretary Ole Denstad who he is always on hand and does great follow-up. The Business Innovation Program started in November 2011 when Ambassador Petter Ølborg was in place. Therefore, Dr. Tahir awarded a BIP logo plate to Mr. Ølborg in absentia by handing it to First Secretary Ole Denstad.

In cooperation with Jordanian BPWA, BIP has started the Women Empowerment Program with support of The Royal Norwegian Embassy. His Excellency Ambassador Espen Landbæck and the First Secretary visited the ninth and tenth BPD trainings in Irbid and they met the CEO/Executive Director of BPWA Ms. Thanaa Alkhasawneh and The BPWA President Ms. Amal Daghlas. The Mayor of the Greater Irbid Municipality Dr. Nabeel Alkoofhi was also present. More than 40 woman and 8 trainers under supervision of the BIP Regional Manager Dr. Hussein Tahir participated at the trainings.

Ms. Alkhasawneh extended her thanks and appreciation to the Norwegian Ambassador for this initiative aimed at deepening relations and moving forward with effective projects that support women and their participation in building the future and achieving leadership.

BPWA started the trainings in cooperation with the Irbid Municipality’s Women Empowerment Office and The Directorate of Training and Development.

His Excellency Ambassador Landbacæk hopes that the program will succeed in the same way it has in Iraq and wished BPWA and all women a successful future. He told about Norway's efforts on women’s’ role in society and how important it is for them to be involved. He told about the successful BIP program in Iraq and thanked the Alola Org for their good cooperation. The current program with BPWA in Jordan consists of 2 phases where 24 trainers will be certified, and more than 500 women will participate in 30 courses.

The Embassy, BIP and BPWA is doing everything they can to certify enough trainers in Jordan and to give very good support for empowerment of women.

BIP Certified Training Leaders from the Students Enterprise Program, the Vocational Education Directorate, and MoE in Iraq attended the 4 days Mentor Training Level 1 in Karbal in the period 28-31March, 2022. Among the participants was also the Alola Org. Leader and 7 of their trainers.

The Mentor Training focused on new skills in problem solving, handling difficult people, continuous improvement, map position, Kevel Factors and management of growth in existing companies. The main goal of the training is to qualify support staff among teachers who can become advisors for their students when they are contemplating starting business a real market. The Vocational Education students show high potential for business ideas which are integrated in advanced technology. The mentor training is an important element in making the project sustainable so that the Ministry can operate the program on its own. Both the content of the training and the performance of the trainers was rated 6 by the attendees on a scale from 1 to 6.

The Alola Organization - the main partner of Business Innovation Programs (BIP) - in cooperation with the Iraq Ministry of Education Vocational Education Directorate, under the auspices of the SE project, held six Fairs to present more than 72 business ideas prepared by 25 Vocational High School’s students in Baghdad, Wassit, Najaf, Dywania and Karbala. Alola leaders and many personnel from the Education department attended the fairs, including key persons, teachers, parents, students, and others. In agreement with Vocational Education Directorate, it had been decided to organize Business Fair for each district.

The first Fair was held on 15th March 2022 in Karbala District

The first Fair was held on 15th.March 2022 in Karbala District to showcase (12) student projects. 52 students participated the event with their Training Leaders and Alola Mentor Trainer Fadhil Aljabri. Alola president Layla Mahdi and the General Manager of Education Directorate in Karbal attended the fair. Many lively activities were held, such as the students’ presentations of their projects, gathering with other students, holding speeches and having competitions with other students.

The Second Fair was held on 15th.March 2022 in AlNajaf District

The second Fair was held on 15th.March 2022 in AlNajaf to present 12 projects from 60 students from the four Vocational High School that participated in this Business Fair. The Vocational Education dept. and Alola Mentor trainer Adnan Kadhom Saad, Alola Org. Deputy Manager Aola Hussein, and General Manager of Education in AlNajaf attended the event. Many lively activities were held, such as the students’ presentations of their projects, gathering with other students, holding speeches and having competitions with other students.

The Third Fair was held on 16thMarch 2022 in AlKut District

The Third Fair was held on 16thMarch 2022 in AlKut to present 8 project ideas from 36 students from the two Vocational High School that participated in this Business Fair. Vocational Education dept. and Alola Mentor trainer Adnan Satar Taha, Alola Org. Representative Adnan Satar, and General Manager of Education in AlKut attended the event. Many lively activities were held, such as the students’ presentations of their projects, gathering with other students, holding speeches and having competitions with other students.

The Fourth Fair was held on 16th March 2022 in the AlQadsiah District

The fourth Fair was held on 16th March 2022 in AlQadsiah to present 12 project ideas from 62 students from the four Vocational High School that participated in this Business Fair. Vocational Education dept. and Alola Mentor trainer Mohammed Kadhom Mohsun, Alola Representative and Manager of Vocational Education dept. in AlQadsiah attended the event. Many lively activities were held, such as the students’ presentations of their projects, gathering with other students, holding speeches and having competitions with other students.

The fifth Fair was held on 19th March 2022 in the Baghdad Districtt

The fifth Fair was held on 19th March 2022 in the Baghdad District to showcase 20 student projects from the 94 students that participated the event with their Training Leaders and Alola Mentor Trainer Aola Hussein. Alola president Layla Mahdi and Deputy Manager of Training Center - Education Directorate in Baghdad also attended the fair. Many lively activities were held, such as the students’ presentations of their projects, gathering with other students, holding speeches and having competitions with other students.

The Sixth Fair was held on 22nd March 2022 in the AlSwera District

The sixth Fair was held on 22nd March 2022 in the AlSuwera District to showcase 12 student projects from the 42 students that participated the event with their Training Leaders and Alola Mentor Trainer Adnan Satar Taha. Alola president Layla Mahdi and General Manager of Education Directorate in Wasit also attended the fair. Many lively activities were held, such as the students’ presentations of their projects, gathering with other students, holding speeches and having competitions with other students.

More than 750 students, teachers, Ministry of Education representatives, economists, representatives of companies, organizations and other participants have been together with the Alola Org. in the SE program season 2022.

In order to evaluate all projects in all Fairs, special committees were formed consisting of economists, educational representatives and all BIP trainers to evaluate the ideas behind all of the projects that were presented in the Fairs. Five committees were formed for each of the two events in all fairs. At the end of every event, the winning projects were selected, and the awards were made to the winners in the midst of celebrations by all the attendees. Alola Org. Leader Layla Mahdi gave thanks to all School Managers and Training Leaders and all participating students. Of the 327 students that participated the Business Fairs, 199 were girls.

The Fairs mark that the SE program for the school season 2021-2022 has now ended and we must turn our focus to prepare for the next one in 2022-2023.