What makes an entrepreneur? A belief in oneself is definitely one of the criteria! That is what Grade 7 students from the Rene Mouawad Public School learned when they examined the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs thanks to the Metlife Foundation’s support.

Two programs were delivered, It’s My Business and Be A Leader, that help to introduce students to the world of leadership and entrepreneurship. Students in the It’s My Business program are encouraged to use critical thinking to learn entrepreneurial skills like knowing customers' wants and needs, launching effective marketing, and creating detailed business plans. Students in the Be A Leader program learn the different models of leadership and the social and professional benefits of developing leadership skills.

I learned from this program the importance of entrepreneurship and that it requires a lot of determination and perseverance. After the completion of the program, I would like to be an entrepreneur and I'll try to manage my money and have confidence in my ideas to succeed as an entrepreneur,"

said Hanaa Hassan, a student at Rene Mouawad Public High School.

A big thank you goes to MetLife Foundation's Life Changer and the volunteers of Metlife Lebanon for sponsoring and delivering these two programs that reached a total of 643 participating students in addition to the Head Start program which has been delivered to 148 university students so far!  

It was indeed a very fruitful experience that was tremendously beneficial for me as much as it was for the students. It was satisfying to see students break out of their shell and confidently engage with their ideas as the class proceeded. This program may not instantly reflect its positive impact on the student’s mindset and character but surely will in the long run and knowing that I had a role in this makes me happy. This was the first volunteering program I take part in, but surely won’t be the last,"

said Karim Al Mallah, Management Associate at Metlife, INJAZ Volunteer