In downtown Kairouan, in the Business Center’s training room there is an atmosphere of optimism and accomplishment. Working together with his colleague Jalel Amri, Mohamed Bouden is helping a group of young aspiring entrepreneurs to put the finishing touches on their business plans. It’s the last day of a five-day HP LIFE coaching workshop organized by the Mashrou3i project, to help young people use HP LIFE e-Learning to improve the technical skills and business knowledge they need to start their own enterprises.
“After graduating from university in 2006 with a Master’s degree in Information Technology and Management, I never thought that I’d have a career in business development and entrepreneurship,” says Mohamed.
Like many young graduates from Tunisia’s interior regions, Mohamed moved to Tunis to try and find employment. However, he was soon forced to return to Kairouan where he got a job at Yura Corporation, a car wiring company. While working at the multinational company for two years he strengthened his managerial skills and quickly proved his ability, working first as the head of inventory management before being promoted to store manager. He also developed important soft skills like patience and perseverance – crucial for his current role as a business coach and accountant at the Business Center in Kairouan.
After taking on the role at the the Business Center in 2010, Mohamed ensured that he was well-informed about the various entrepreneurship training programs offered in the region. He speaks with great enthusiasm about Mashrou3i, a public-private partnership project between USAID, the Italian Cooperation, the HP Foundation and UNIDO.
“We’ve been a regional partner of Mashrou3i since 2013. I was so impressed by the program that in 2016, I decided to become an HP LIFE trainer myself,” he says.
Mohamed took advantage of training and capacity building workshops provided by UNIDO at the business center level. In addition to becoming an HP LIFE trainer he also strengthened his know-how in the development of business plans and his awareness of environmental management.
“Becoming an HP LIFE trainer has improved my skills and enhanced my ability to support entrepreneurs in the realization of their projects,” Mohamed says.
“Mashrou3i is unique in the way it provides support to entrepreneurs through the entire life cycle of a business. In our regional group coaching workshops, entrepreneurs complete over 25 courses on the HP LIFE e-learning platform and strengthen their managerial and IT skills. We make sure they come out of the training with a bankable business plan and also follow their progress on a daily basis; helping them to get a bank loan and supporting them step by step in the launch of their business,” Mohamed explains.
Mohamed and his team are proud of the results they are achieving through the Mashrou3i HP LIFE coaching.
“Kairouan is severely affected by unemployment among young graduates. But it is also a region rich in opportunities in agribusiness, services and IT,” says Mohamed. “In the last 9 months over 140 young people have benefited from our courses. With our ongoing support these aspiring entrepreneurs manage, despite the challenges, to launch their start ups.”