b'T R A I N I N GWHEN THE SOLUTION IS ENTREPRENEURSHIPHelping refugees build businesses & rebuild livesAs of mid-2020, global refugeePrivate Enterprise and fundedkitchen space for testing andIDEMA, the implementing populations reached a recordby the U.S. government. Theproducing their products. Thepartner, as the organization 26 million people, according toWDI team worked closelythree-year program attractedshifted to offering the in-person the United Nations. With aboutwith partners to develop the324 entrepreneurs from 10entrepreneur incubation 3.6 million Syrian refugeesentrepreneurship incubationcountries, with 12 cohorts oftraining online. The WDI team as well as some 400,000curriculum, customize it forrefugees and host communityalso facilitated an online from other countries, Turkeythe local context and providemembers graduating from theworkshop about resilience hosts more refugees than anytraining for instructors. LIFE Projects entrepreneurduring the COVID-19 pandemic other country. Like refugeesincubation program. to equip the consortium in other countries, SyriansThis project was an ideal fit forpartners with the skills to in Turkey are eager to findWDI and our work in bringingIn 2019, Gillett and Kristinmeet the changing needs work to support themselvesinnovative entrepreneurshipBabbie Kelterborn, Seniorof the project participants and their families in a newpedagogy to low- and middle- Project Manager with theduring the challenging time.country. And because enteringincome countries, saidEDC, traveled to Istanbul and the formal labor market isAmy Gillett, Vice PresidentMersin to run workshops on difficult, entrepreneurship givesof WDIs Education sector.leadership, customer service refugees a way to earn a living. We were able to draw onand social media marketing. our expertise in curriculumWhile there, the team met with Supporting and encouragingdesign and pedagogy andseveral program graduates entrepreneurship, sustainableto collaborate with WDIand conducted interviews to livelihoods, job creation andPublishing in creating casegain insight into the impact cross-cultural engagementstudies that we, and others,of the curriculum and how in the food sector is thecan use in entrepreneurshipit could be enhanced.mission of Livelihoodsdevelopment programs Innovation through Foodfor many years to come. With the outbreak of the Entrepreneurship (LIFE) Project.COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, WDIs EntrepreneurshipThe LIFE Project establishedthe project required a pivot Development Center (EDC)two food enterprise centersinin strategy as in-person played a pivotal role in theIstanbul and Mersin, Turkey training at the food enterprise program, which was led bywhere entrepreneurs in thecenters ceased. The WDI the Center for Internationalprogram had access to sharedteam provided guidance to THE WILLIAM DAVIDSON INSTITUTE 17'