Algeria Entrepreneurship & Employment Program

COUNTRIES: Algeria
DURATION: 10/01/2019 - 04/30/2021
FUNDER: U.S. Department of State Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI)
PARTNER: Algerian Center for Social Entrepreneurship (ACSE), Management Business International Institute (MBI) Setif
CONTACT: [email protected]

Program Description

The Algeria Entrepreneurship & Employment Program supported the start-up of new youth-led enterprises while increasing the market for youth skills and products through support for existing non-hydrocarbon small- to mid-size enterprises.

The program introduced a more demand-driven incubation process for youth-led business products or services to help ensure the start-up of these new enterprises. It also strived to improve employment opportunities for youth by supporting the growth of existing small to mid-size enterprises (SMEs) outside of the hydrocarbon sector. This dual strategy was key to diversifying Algeria’s economy within the knowledge and technology-based sectors, improving economic stability, and employing more young Algerians. The program also helped expand employment by establishing demand-driven training agreements to help ensure young Algerians had access to high-quality, relevant training opportunities.

Program Goals

Identified knowledge- and technology-based business sectors in Algeria with high potential for growth and creation of employment opportunities for young women and men.
Prepared young Algerian men and women to meet the demands of knowledge and technology-based promising sectors with high-quality, demand-driven training opportunities and job placement.
Incubated emerging and innovative social entrepreneurs and connected them with the supply chain and potential investors.

The AEEP project succeeded in engaging 168 private and public sector stakeholders in discussions on economic opportunity and business growth acceleration, garnered 38 employment agreements, trained 368 youth in soft skills or technical skills—93.2% of whom improved their skills, their economic status, or both during the program—and successfully supported 18 youth-led enterprises.