"GIL brought out my potential to light; I highly encourage others to participate in the programme! People are capable of doing more than they think they can."

Eva Saad's project, E-center, aims to fight analphabetism in her hometown Delhaniye-Bekaa by teaching English to Syrian refugees, mainly children and teenagers living in the numerous refugee camps of the area.

This ambitious and compassionate twenty-year-old lives with her parents and three siblings, and is an English Literature student. She devotes her afternoons to the E-center. "There are many kids on the streets; we have only one small school in the region and it saddens me to know that they do not benefit from any education, nor are they familiar with the English language which is a must nowadays," said Eva. "When Omar, a friend of mine, encouraged me to apply to GIL's entrepreneurship programme beginning of this year he knew that if I put my mind into something I tend to achieve it," she proudly added.

GIL, the Generation of Innovation Leaders, is a programme powered by UNICEF Lebanon and funded by the Kingdom of Netherlands and The Andan Foundation; it enables youth like Eva to become business owners through hands-on training. Step by step with their coaches they carve the path to success, profiting from all the needed support until they are ready to lead the way. 

"When I met my competitors it challenged me and ignited my creativity; that is when I started seriously working on my project. With GIL I learned how to build something out of nothing. They truly support us very much," she explained.

Eva puts her mind into accomplishing her goal and she was eventually granted her seed funding. This money helped equip the space she already has at her disposal with all the necessary materials. She offers her students books and stationery free of charge, and they only pay a modest amount of 60,000 Lebanese Liras to access her courses. "No matter how small the income, it still motivates me to push forward and to hopefully earn more in the future. Helping those in need is my fuel; it requires time and patience to eradicate illiteracy."

"Look at me now teaching generations of kids! I take pride in having a positive impact on my community," said Eva.

This experience shaped Eva into becoming the self-reliant confident woman she is today. It is safe to say that she plays a major role in the shifting of perspectives when it comes to Syrian refugees in her hometown. "My dream? Expanding this center and transforming it into a mini-school where I could employ other teachers and offer my pupils more diversified subjects. I wish to help as many kids as possible by giving them a chance for a better life. GIL brought out my potential to light; I highly encourage others to participate in the programme! People are capable of doing more than they think they can," she concluded.