Last week, Mohaned Eltayeb, a senior director with GE Gas Power, logged into a regular weekly video conference call from his home in Dubai – pretty typical in the age of COVID-19. However, the other attendees on the call were not customers or colleagues. They were enthusiastic 10th and 11th graders.
Mohaned is mentoring 12 students from Al Khaleej National School in Dubai as they set up and operate their own start-up business. The students are participants in INJAZ UAE’s “Company Program,” a 15-week curriculum designed to give young people real-life experience with entrepreneurship, while working with a seasoned professional.
During weekly video workshops, he serves as an advisor to the group, providing guidance, making suggestions, and generally offering his experience, as the teens work to launch their business venture. The INJAZ Company Program is a key component of the entrepreneurship class they are taking as part of the curriculum.
Mohaned, who works across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, is a volunteer working with INJAZ UAE, the local arm of INJAZ Al Arab, which in turn is a member of Junior Achievement Worldwide. The organization runs a series of programs that connect the business community, educators and volunteer professionals like Mohaned to empower young people to own their economic success.
“For me, the biggest part of being an INJAZ volunteer is seeing the impact of these programs on the students and their potential life choices. You’re planting a seed at this early stage. You’re helping ignite a spark, showing them what range of possibilities exist,” Mohaned says.
GE Volunteers in the UAE has been working with INJAZ UAE for more than a decade. Employee volunteers have led a range of INJAZ programs throughout this time, which focus on three pillars: workforce readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship.
Junior Achievement Worldwide has developed a range of curricula designed for students from first grade to university level. Programs can be months long, such as the Company Program; day-long activities, such as an Innovation Day Camp; or shorter courses and workshops.
The shorter programs usually run over three, four, or six sessions and last several weeks. Topics include Steer Your Career, Career Success, Entrepreneurship Masterclass, Personal Finance, and More than Money. There are even financial literacy classes for elementary school students.
The COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t deterred GE Volunteers, who have continued to be active, pivoting along with INJAZ UAE to an online-only model. That contrasts with all in-person courses that were the norm prior to the need for social distancing, when volunteers would come into student classrooms.
Razan Bashiti, CEO of INJAZ UAE, says, “Students like to have someone new come in to school – in person, or virtually. It’s a change from the traditional class; plus, it’s special to meet people from the real world who are sharing their personal and professional experiences. It’s very enriching for students.”
With COVID-19, the overall needs haven’t changed, Razan says, but with the pandemic, there is greater interest in financial literacy courses. And while the shift to online wasn’t easy, she adds, “The quality of the volunteers we’ve been onboarding have made sure the students continue to have many impactful learning experiences.”
GE Volunteers have helped lead innumerable sessions for countless students. More recently, since April nearly 30 GE Volunteers have contributed more than 160 hours leading dozens of INJAZ programs at schools in the UAE.
Mohaned adds that volunteers, too, learn a lot from the sessions. “The amount of learning and growth I see in myself is always immense, especially with their different mindsets, different ages and profiles, and the thoughts that go through their heads.
“As well, because of the quality of the INJAZ content, I am always able to grab concepts myself and apply them to my day job.”