Tsege - Ethiopia
Creating communities of women entrepreneurs
Women in Ethiopia face many barriers to becoming entrepreneurs. They often have less education than men, can face discrimination, and are less likely to own assets...
#DOTYouth
#DOTYouth is a global movement of daring social innovators. Read about how some of these digital ambassadors, community leaders, and entrepreneurs are creating opportunities and transforming their communities.
Featured Story
Featured Story
Jasmine - Jordan
Blending engineering, gender, and photography as a social entrepreneur
When 24-year-old Jasmine Majeed graduated from university with a degree in chemical engineering, she was looking for a job, but also thinking about launching her own business. She had her own dreams and aspirations, ...
Featured Story
Peter - Kenya
Cultivating a network of agribusiness entrepreneurs
With KES 500 (about $4.80 USD), two acres of his family’s land, and a passion for agriculture, Peter Nyoike started Muthoni Agrobiz, a horticultural business in Murang’a County. Peter was happy to be making a living ...
Featured Story
Mariam - Lebanon
Inspiring children with technology, one robot at a time
Mariam Haidar has always been passionate about education and technology, especially for girls. She grew up in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, where schools’ lack of resources made it difficult for children...
Featured Story
Jeanne - Rwanda
Youth-led financial solutions that work for Rwandans
Rwanda is continuing to go digital, and Jeanne Bovine Ishemaryayo plans to be there every step of the way. According to the government’s Vision 2020 plan, Rwanda will be a cashless economy by 2024. That is good news ...
Featured Story
George - Tanzania
Bringing locally relevant learning material to Tanzanian students
Growing up in Arusha, George saw the challenges of an education system with unequal opportunities between public and private schools. He studied at a public high school, where it was hard to access learning ...
Featured Story
Paul - Uganda
Starting where you are, with what you have
“Start where you are, with what you have.” This is advice Paul Tinkaman often gives to youth he meets in his work through his youth-led development agency, Tinkasoft International.
Paul knows the wisdom of this ...
Story
Kalkidan - Ethiopia
Tuning women in to entrepreneurship
Kalkidan Lakew knows it’s not easy for women in Ethiopia to pursue entrepreneurship.
“Business in Ethiopia is dominated by men, especially business that requires risk-taking. Startup businesses are left to men ...
Story
Dargie - Ethiopia
Producing affordable tiles from beverage waste in Ethiopia
When Dargie Haile Molla was in the final year of his chemical engineering studies at Bahir Dar University of Technology, his teacher set a challenge for him and his classmates: create a business project that could ...
Story
Tsege - Ethiopia
Creating communities of women entrepreneurs
Women in Ethiopia face many barriers to becoming entrepreneurs. They often have less education than men, can face discrimination, and are less likely to own assets...
Story
Benyam - Ethiopia
Turning trash into treasure to create jobs and opportunity
Benyam Lalago knows it is all too easy for trash to pile up. Papers become clutter, old clothes are stashed in the back of closets, plastic refuse takes over space....
Story
Bikyalech - Ethiopia
Started a training and empowerment center for women in the beauty industry
Like many Ethiopians, Bikyalech Ermias moved from a small village to the city in search of a better future. She received...
Story
Banan - Jordan
Bridging the gap between teachers and parents
Banan has always been passionate about coding and technology. She graduated from the University of Jordan with a degree in Computer and Information Systems and chose to explore opportunities aligned with the digital ...
Story
Samer - Jordan
Samer, a student from Mo’tah university, Karak, utilized a digital pathway to bridge the social gap between students residing in the community and new out-of-area students. He is currently developing a network ...
Story
Lujain - Jordan
Lujain, a young innovator from Amman, learned about DOT’s intensive entrepreneurial and leadership training course, “Entrepreneurship in 48 hours” from facebook. She jumped at the possibility, and was excited to ...
Story
Mohammad - Jordan
From engineer to community leader
Mohammad Shishani was working as a civil engineer when he learned of DOT Jordan’s Social Innovation Journey program. He thought it was a good opportunity to develop digital skills, but he didn’t know it would also ...
Story
Dana - Jordan
Creating opportunities for girls through fashion
Dana Al Fayez has always loved fashion. She loves it more now that she sees how it can support and transform her community.
Dana’s journey as a social innovator began when she participated in a DOT Jordan ...
Featured Story
Jasmine - Jordan
Blending engineering, gender, and photography as a social entrepreneur
When 24-year-old Jasmine Majeed graduated from university with a degree in chemical engineering, she was looking for a job, but also thinking about launching her own business. She had her own dreams and aspirations, ...
Story
Ajra - Kenya
Transforming Mombasa’s tech industry
Even with a degree in information technology, Ajra Adullatif Mohamed had trouble finding a job when she graduated from university. She felt trapped; the job market was bad and finding work was difficult....
Story
Douglas - Kenya
An oasis of digital learning in the Mathare slums
Douglas Mwangi struggled with the education system in Kenya. He grew up in the Mathare slums in Nairobi, the youngest of eight children in his family. For Douglas, quality schools were unaffordable, and affordable ...
Story
Peter - Kenya
Cultivating a network of agribusiness entrepreneurs
With KES 500 (about $4.80 USD), two acres of his family’s land, and a passion for agriculture, Peter Nyoike started Muthoni Agrobiz, a horticultural business in Murang’a County. Peter was happy to be making a living ...
Story
Euniver - Kenya
An entrepreneur supporting entrepreneurs
When Euniver Njeri joined DOT Kenya in 2012 to offer entrepreneurship training to community members in Eldoret, she was known for two things: her outspoken nature and her soft spot for young entrepreneurs....
Story
Mustafa - Lebanon
Learning about the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Lebanon
Mustafa Dasuki’s is passionate about education. “Education is the key to a better future, and should be given to everyone in the world. But education is not just about building a career, it’s about opening your...
Story
Mira - Lebanon
Championing technology in classrooms
Mira Hatoum finished her biology degree not knowing what was next. She was interested in technology and education, and had developed strong pedagogical skills at university, but didn’t know how to apply these skills ...
Story
Mariam - Lebanon
Inspiring children with technology, one robot at a time
Mariam Haidar has always been passionate about education and technology, especially for girls. She grew up in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, where schools’ lack of resources made it difficult for children...
Story
Jeanne - Rwanda
Youth-led financial solutions that work for Rwandans
Rwanda is continuing to go digital, and Jeanne Bovine Ishemaryayo plans to be there every step of the way. According to the government’s Vision 2020 plan, Rwanda will be a cashless economy by 2024. That is good news ...
Story
Olive - Rwanda
Baking up community change
Olive Tuyizeye started her journey as an entrepreneur with a small shop, but had never been able to generate enough income to sustain her family. It was a difficult way to make a living in rural western Rwanda, and ...
Story
Laetitia - Rwanda
Economic change through agricultural innovation
When Laetitia Umubyeyi first got involved with DOT Rwanda in 2016, she didn’t think of herself as a social entrepreneur. She didn’t even have a business idea. She had a background...
Story
Francois - Rwanda
Tackling youth unemployment through vocational training
While many Rwandans value a university education above all else, 26-year-old Francois Nkurunziza knew many unemployed young people in Gatore Sector,...
Story
Lulu - Tanzania
Digital opportunities for low-resource schools
When Shaat Lulu King'ori participated in a DOT Tanzania social enterprise competition in 2016, her idea immediately stood out. She was enthusiastic and had a clear understanding of a need in her community and how ...
Story
George - Tanzania
Bringing locally relevant learning material to Tanzanian students
Growing up in Arusha, George saw the challenges of an education system with unequal opportunities between public and private schools. He studied at a public high school, where it was hard to access learning ...
Story
Carolyn - Tanzania
Mtu ni watu: a person is people
Carolyn Kandusi embodies the proverb mtu ni watu: a person is people. No man is an island. We must support each other in order to succeed.
When she began considering the idea of how to create a community to ...
Story
Walter - Uganda
Creating networks for agriculture businesses
Walter Rubangakene never thought he would run his own business. Now he’s a successful agricultural entrepreneur who mentors others in launching their businesses.
Growing up in Gulu in northern Uganda, life was ...
Story
Cedrick and Vivian - Uganda
Community change out of a commercial enterprise
Growing up in the Kasokoso slum in Kampala, brother and sister Cedrick and Vivian Karibwende were affected by the challenges they saw around them on a daily basis. Many families couldn’t afford to send their ...
Story
Paul - Uganda
Starting where you are, with what you have
“Start where you are, with what you have.” This is advice Paul Tinkaman often gives to youth he meets in his work through his youth-led development agency, Tinkasoft International.
Paul knows the wisdom of this ...
Story
Ali - Uganda
Engaging youth in community development
For young people to be involved in social and economic issues, they must first have the knowledge and information to contribute to the conversation.
That’s Ali Kaviri’s philosophy. Ali is a young Ugandan man who ...
Story
Walter - Uk
Creating networks for agriculture businesses
Walter Rubangakene never thought he would run his own business. Now he’s a successful agricultural entrepreneur who mentors others in launching their businesses.
Growing up in Gulu in northern Uganda, life was ...
Story
Lulu - Uk
Digital opportunities for low-resource schools
When Shaat Lulu King’ori participated in a DOT Tanzania social enterprise competition in 2016, her idea immediately stood out. She was enthusiastic and had a clear understanding of a need in her community and how ...
Story
Kalkidan - Uk
Tuning women in to entrepreneurship
Kalkidan Lakew knows it’s not easy for women in Ethiopia to pursue entrepreneurship.
“Business in Ethiopia is dominated by men, especially business that requires risk-taking. Startup businesses are left to men ...