UNICEF Lebanon announced the launch of its new impact sourcing platform BOT “Bridge, Outsource, Transform” in partnership with Digital Opportunity Trust Lebanon, and with the funding of the embassies of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Germany, during a press conference held at Antwork, Hamra, Beirut. UNICEF’s newest initiative will promote impact sourcing as an income generation and career development opportunity for youth by encouraging meaningful employment.
The press conference was attended by UNICEF Deputy Representative Violet Speek-Warnery, representatives from the Dutch and German Embassies, representatives from UN agencies, non-profit organizations, companies from the private sector as well as the youth beneficiaries of the programme.
Co-created in 2017 by UNICEF and DOT, this new impact sourcing platform falls under GIL, UNICEF’s Generation of Innovation Leaders. B.O.T aims at providing local, regional and international markets high quality digital services executed by skilled and unemployed youth graduating from the GIL programme from marginalized communities across Lebanon, thus creating job opportunities for the youth and providing reliable skills for businesses. BOT not only provides youth with access to work but also gives them the opportunity to enhance their skills while earning an income, through different learning pathways and career direction after they have graduated from the GIL programme that aims to provide them with knowledge related to innovation, technology, and social entrepreneurship.
“Working with youth is an urgent priority for UNICEF in order to lay durable foundations for stability. Investing in the capacities of young boys and girls and enlarging their opportunities can reap huge social and economic benefits for themselves, their communities and their countries”, said UNICEF Deputy Representative Violet Speek-Warnery in her opening speech. “As UNICEF, we believe in solutions that are more than one-time, grant-dependent interventions and we aim to continue to support and encourage social enterprises such as B.O.T that will continue to impact the youth in Lebanon, independent of availability of donor and funding as we are here to empower the sustainability of the local communities”, she added. In her turn, the Country Director of DOT Lebanon Marianne Karam Bitar added that “Our youth, one of our strongest national assets are undervalued and more importantly underutilized, for this purpose we created B.O.T a platform that utilizes their skills while giving back to Lebanon’s economy and its growth”
Two keynote presentations on “Building capacities for better employment” and “How can BOT youth serve your company? How is B.O.T serving the youth?” were respectively made by Marianne Bitar Karam and Charbel Trad, broadening awareness and understanding of Impact Sourcing and explaining the aim and impact of this initiative and its strategy. Support Service and Data Service clients shared their experience with BOT and how their decision had tangible benefits to business. In fact, by supporting BOT, businesses can help combat youth unemployment, support inclusive economic development and create a positive impact that spans generations.
