A Business of One's Own
Business of One's Own
Project description
Business of One's Own is EEW's flag ship program. This year-long empowerment and entrepreneurial training program (total 100 hours) combines empowerment and life skills training with the development of business skills and business plans for the new enterprises. Following this program, business owners will continue to receive business development services through EEW.
Project goal
To assist women from underprivileged populations improve their economic welfare and brake out of the poverty cycle by establishing and developing their own small business, thereby achieving economic independence and stability.
Target population
Low-income and poor women, Jewish and Arab, from the social and geographic periphery of Israel, who possess entrepreneurial spirit but who lack access to suitable business training and bank credit
Staffeach program is run by one business facilitator and one empowerment facilitator and additional lectures and workshop given by proffeional in various fields. Our facilitators are all highly trained professionals who have been working with EEW for many years, receive specific taing and staff development, and take part in constant revision of the program suiting it to the needs that arise from the field
The project includes three stages and lasts 12 months
Recruitment of 20-25 women according to preset criteria – this is the responsibility of the local partners with the supervision of EEW staff
The first six months of the program includes 25 weekly three-hour sessions that are facilitated by professional empowerment and business facilitators. Topics focus on personal empowerment, time management, formulating a business idea, marketing/ advertising, financial management, pricing, legal issues, and preparing a strategic business plan.
At the end of this stage a festive fare in which the women present their businesses is held.
The second six months of the program consist of six monthly meetings and five small group meetings (up to 7 women), devoted to technical assistance and mentoring to those women who seek to launch their own micro enterprise. Each woman can also schedule individual meetings with a professional business or empowerment consultant to work through specific problems she may encounter. The participants also take part in site visits, seminars and business marathons throughout the program
The program takes place in the locations where the women are from.
20-25 women who passed an interview and answered the criteria will participate in each course.
Business Support Services
Regional business forums
The purpose of this program is to help micro-enterprise owners increase the income from their business by improving their business, organizational, financial, marketing and networking and professional skills that will help them improve and expand their business and to reach new and more sophisticated consumers. The forum also enables business owners to meet and establish partnerships and networks. The forum runs between six months to one year, depending on location, that includes large and small group meetings, personal consultations and participation in seminars and conferences.
Site visits
A daylong site visit to several businesses for "Business of one's own" program participants. The purpose is to Expose women to successful businesses of both EEW graduates and well known Israeli business owners from fields relevant to the participants, and to professional skills in a hands-on fashion
Business marathons
A day long marathon that includes lectures and several round table workshops. The marathons provide women with advanced professional knowledge in the fields of technology, marketing, and financial planning and encourages networking among the participants.
Basic computer skill courses
A ten session computer course on basic uses of e-mail, internet and "office" programs. The course helps EEW program graduates, micro-enterprise owners, gain understanding of the possible uses of technology in running their business and help them not be intimidated by it.
Social media courses
A four session course on the use of Facebook and social media for marketing and advertising a business.
Financial Orientation: Saving for the future
A six to ten session program that enables the participants to understand the financial terms, tools and institutions needed for running their businesses alongside their household budget, all along prioritizing the two in the best way possible. The program offers practical tools related to banking, insurance, pension, loans, cash flow, monitoring expenses and income and saving plans. The participant are also eligible for a small grant intended to encourage saving for the future
