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.
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Featured Story
Lujain - Jordan
Making blood sugar monitoring accessible in Jordan
Lujain Asem Abusohyon’s life changed when she was 17-years-old. “I felt tired but I did not know why. My eyes were blurred. It was exams at school and I did not understand why I could not focus,” Lujain, now 20, ...
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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, ...
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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...
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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
Lujain - Jordan
Making blood sugar monitoring accessible in Jordan
Lujain Asem Abusohyon’s life changed when she was 17-years-old. “I felt tired but I did not know why. My eyes were blurred. It was exams at school and I did not understand why I could not focus,” Lujain, now 20, ...
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
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
Aisha and Ruth - Kenya
Empowering young girls in Kenya to innovate with STEM
Studying ICT at the Technical University of Mombasa, Aisha Abdulkadir and Ruth Kaveke made up 50% of the program’s female population. At graduation, they decided to do something about that.
Aisha and Ruth are the ...
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
Ariane - Rwanda
Lighting up rural Rwanda with 3D printed solar products
Before Ariane Umuringa was a social innovator, she was a student in a district in Rubavu, Western Rwanda.
Studying mathematics and physics in high school, Ariane found herself challenged — not as much by the ...
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
Dorina - Tanzania
Revolutionizing renting: helping women safely find homes through their phones
Dorina Mathayo’s friend was looking for a new home. Unsure of where to start, Dorina’s friend was told to seek the assistance of an agent who could show her houses in Dar es Salaam – but she still couldn’t find a ...
Story
Catherine - Tanzania
Empowering girls in ICT: Tackling the digital gender divide in Tanzania
On Girls in ICT Day, Catherine participated in a live video chat with our partners at Global Affairs Canada (GAC) to discuss her social enterprise, Girls Awareness in IT-Profession, and the importance of empowering ...
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
Nsubuga - Uganda
Helping Ugandan women create revenue with handcrafts
Nsubuga Kigongo was raised by his grandmother, and growing up he was taught to work as hard as possible in order to provide for his family. He held a variety of jobs as a young man, including selling milk and ...
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 ...
Story
Julius, Tanzania - Southafrica
Making healthy food accessible and connecting farmers to digital opportunities
Accessing healthy food is not always easy when living in a large city like Dar es Salaam. You might know the location of markets and grocery stores, but traffic and a lack of time makes it impossible to get to them. ...
Story
Lina, Jordan - Southafrica
Developing digital creativity labs in Amman
Have you ever heard of a mindscape? Social innovator Lina Halaseh describes it as a place where you can be innovative, and stimulate your mind and ideas. This was the idea that Lina had — and her recent social ...
Story
Jeanne, Rwanda - Southafrica
Youth-led financial solutions that work for Rwandans
Rwanda is continuing to go digital, and Jeanne Bovine Ishemaryayo plans to be there at every step of the way. According to the government’s Vision 2020 plan, Rwanda will be a cashless economy by 2024. That is good ...
Story
Byron, South Africa - Southafrica
Inspiring aspiring artists in South Africa
Byron Noble has spent the past decade pursuing his passion for music and the arts. With his new social enterprise, he wants to make it easier for other youth to do the same....
