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Arab World Social Innovators Program

About the Program

In October 2007 Synergos launched the Arab World Social Innovators Program (the Program) with funding from the US Agency for International Development and other donors. The three-year initiative seeks to identify and support twenty individuals from Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco and Palestine who are implementing successful social projects. Social Innovators are pioneers of change within their communities who offer new ideas, creative approaches and promising solutions to pressing social, economic and environmental problems.

These extraordinary individuals work with local organizations, leaders and associations to develop collaborative and inclusive innovations that improve conditions and the quality of life for people in their communities and beyond. Social projects may be led by the Social Innovator through a local institution, an enterprise, a non-profit organization or an informal group or association.

Program Summary

The Program will invest in Social Innovators in the region through professional development and financial support to better enable participants to transform their small-scale projects into sustainable programs and organizations. Equipped with new skills and financial assistance, Innovators will be ready to pioneer a new approach to wider social change and action in their communities and beyond. The Program's anticipated long-term impact is the overall strengthening of civil society and entrepreneurship in the region, as well as the development of innovative approaches to bridge economic and social divides.

During the three-year program, selected Social Innovators will receive two years of funding support and be introduced into a learning community intended to increase their impact as Innovators in the five core geographic areas. Synergos will provide selected Social Innovators with the following types of support to help them reach greater scale and sustainability:

• Training, mentoring and peer learning through Synergos' network of professionals and social entrepreneurs to help build financial and organizational sustainability for their innovation.
• Facilitating connections to business, government, philanthropic and other civil society leaders in the Middle East and North Africa region and across the world to leverage their innovation and make a greater impact.
• Financial awards of $17,000 per year, for two years, to help develop their social venture.

An Advisory Council appointed by Synergos, comprised of regional and international leaders in philanthropy, civil society, business and academia will provide strategic guidance to the Program and advise the selection process. Synergos is building partnerships with leading institutions in civil society and academia in each target area to serve as institutional facilitators and connectors to social innovators.

In order to be considered for selection, a candidate must be implementing an idea that has demonstrated positive social change and impact at a local level with the potential for replication in other communities and expansion to a national level. Social innovations will be considered which have as a focus one or more of the following fields; economic, social, or sustainable development; health; education; and culture. Other criteria for selection include: an innovative idea, entrepreneurship, ethical values and a commitment to collaborative and inclusive solutions to issues of poverty alleviation and inequity.

For More Information

Please Contact:
George Khalaf
Director, Middle East and North Africa Region
The Synergos Institute
gkhalaf@synergos.org
+1 646-963-2151