PI Training Content Development for MSME Retailers EGYPT CLIENT: INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION (IFC) ​ Description of project: The goal of the project is to deliver a skills training program for approximately 150-200 retailers in Egypt that are registered with the B2B retail platform MaxAB. The training starts with a pilot of two cohorts of approximately 20 retailers each and coaching is provided in addition to these sessions. The training and coaching mainly targets female retailers. PI Training in India PI Training in Bangladesh

Popcorn Parlour From friends to successful business partners STEP did not only teach the five friends the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully run a business, but also offered room to practically develop their business ideas and promoted their self-confidence. The group members Robin Murimi, Hellen Kariuki, Stephen Ngugi, Terry Nissi Wambui and Ibrahim Faruq were already friends before the STEP training started. After receiving the starting capital, it took them a while to come up with a promising business idea. The group interviewed their parents, friends and colleagues for inspiration and decided to sell flavoured popcorn to fill a market gap in the area. In the next step they started Google research for recipes and asked students of Mount Kenya University for their favourite flavour before they started experimenting. Besides chocolate, which was the most popular one, they also produced caramel, strawberry, ginger, mint, lemon, honey, etc. flavoured popcorn. Throughout the training their variety of popcorn expanded due to customers’ requests. Once a customer asked for plantain flavoured popcorn which the group is yet to produce. At the beginning of the training the group would meet almost every evening at friends’ rental houses to make the popcorn. Each group member had their own task in the company such as CEO, secretary and packaging manager, but the popcorn was produced, flavoured and packed by all of them together. The group sold the packed popcorn on the streets and in the university but mainly they knocked at doors, talking to customers directly. Robin said: “interacting with people was the most fun part.” In the sales process they saved the customers mobile numbers and started to produce by order. They developed a huge customer network. For special occasions the group developed special popcorn. For example, on valentine’s day they made chocolate flavoured red coloured popcorn with “happy valentine” stickers and made a profit of 5000 KSH (ca. 40 Euro). The group bought 1 KG of corn in the supermarkets for 200 KSH (ca. 1,60 Euro) which they sold in one day for 2220 KSH (ca. 18 Euro). At the end of the training they made a profit of 26.000 KSH (ca. 209 Euro). The profit was used to pay each group member a salary, to buy further stocks of corn and the rest was saved for the business. After the STEP training was finished, the group decided to keep the Popcorn Parlour running. One of their future plans is to sell popcorn at cinemas. There are two cinemas in Thika and they have already contacted one of the owners to discuss the selling. Furthermore, they want to register the business and open their own shop called “popcorn inn” one day. “Popcorn inn” shall be a chain of shops across the country in the future. The students are very thankful for the opportunity of joining the STEP training. They learned a lot, especially concerning the business plan and registration. In the classes the students felt the lecturers were dealing with every single one of them which they really appreciated. The classes were interactive and therefore they were able to practically develop their ideas. The group members gained a lot of self-confidence throughout the STEP training and their entrepreneurial experiences to continue with their popcorn business. In the long run, the students believe they are capable of successfully starting another business on their own, maybe even in their field of studies. The STEP training supported the students to go their own way and become entrepreneurs. Success Story of Janet Success Story of YANA Trekkers info@doorways-training.org +49 4134 9099726 Wiesenweg 2 21406 Barnstedt Home Doorways About Us Our Projects Success Stories Clients and Partners Contact STEP STEP Impact STEP Projects STEP Success Stories STEP Publications PI PI Impact PI Projects PI Success Stories PI Publications Blog FAQs Support Us © 2023 Doorways gGmbH. All Rights Reserved Terms of Use Imprint +49 4134 9099726 info@doorways-training.org Wiesenweg 2 21406 Barnstedt

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About Us Read more about the minds and hearts behind Doorways and our vision, mission, and values WHAT WE BELIEVE IN Our Vision To open doors and empower individuals to actively shape their own paths. WHAT WE DO Our Mission Provide evidence-based, action-oriented training and build a network of global training partners that share and support our vision. WHO WE ARE Meet Our Team We are a team of seasoned experts, consisting of three co-founders with over 20 years of combined experience in designing, delivering, and evaluating training programs for entrepreneurs (especially PI Training and STEP Training), with an emphasis on the Global South. Our team is culturally and linguistically diverse, with members from Brazil, Germany, Ivory Coast, and Kenya. We have diverse academic backgrounds (psychology, business & management, economics, development studies) and four of our team members have completed or are completing PhDs in entrepreneurship. To enhance our capabilities, we enlist other training experts and maintain a global network of trainers (especially, but not exclusively in Africa). With a vast experience of delivering training programs in over 10 countries worldwide, including regions such as Africa, Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Europe, we have a strong track record in project implementation. Our collaborative efforts have been supported by esteemed partners like the World Bank's Africa and South Asia Region Gender Innovation Labs, IFC, FAO, German Commission for UNESCO, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), microfinance institutes, universities, and local implementing partners. Through this broad network, we are able to draw upon diverse expertise and resources, ensuring the effective delivery of programs and fostering sustainable development. Our wealth of experience has provided us with valuable insights and strengthened our ability to deliver impactful initiatives on a global scale. FOUNDER AND CEO Jakob Weers jakob.weers@doorways-training.org FOUNDER AND CEO Carina Bohlayer carina.bohlayer@doorways-training.org FOUNDER AND CEO Benjamin Scharweit benjamin.scharweit@doorways-training.org PROJECT MANAGER Thiago Garcia ​ thiago.garcia@doorways-training.org PROJECT MANAGER Vital Yao ​ vital.yao@doorways-training.org PROJECT MANAGER Kavin Osoro ​ kavin.osoro@doorways-training.org PROJECT MANAGER Lydia Mutongu ​ lydia.mutongu@doorways-training.org WHO SUPPORTS US Scientific Advisory Board Doorways' established training programs (PI Training and STEP Training) were initiated by Prof. Dr. Michael Frese, Prof. Dr. Michael Gielnik and further developed in global projects. Both, Prof. Dr. Michael Frese and Prof. Dr. Michael Gielnik are part of our scientific advisory board. WHERE WE WORK Our Projects View All CONTACT Get in Touch Your Name Your E-Mail Address Message I have read and agree to the terms of use . Send EVIDENCE-BASED Implement what works We use evidence to create and implement effective training programs and services. Through our actions and via our network, we help build new (scientific) evidence, which in turn improves our understanding of how to best train people. IMPACT Make a difference We embrace opportunities for creating positive and lasting impact. Our training programs and services provide participants and clients with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to take self-empowered actions that better their own (and other people’s) lives in a sustainable way. INTEGRITY Do what is right We are a non-profit company for a good reason. Acting with strong ethics is a priority and we are loyal to our principles. High professionalism and transparency are important for us in our own work and with regard to our network of global partners – we want to lead by example. RESPECT Thrive together We work together, across boundaries, and appreciate each other’s opinions and backgrounds. We approach everyone with an open mindset, value differences, and encourage others to express and involve themselves. WHAT IS IMPORTANT FOR US Our Values

30% increase in profit after two years for participants of PI Training in Togo ​ 2.7 times higher profit growth for participants of PI T raining in Togo ​ 35% increase in the number of employees after one year for participants of PI Training in Uganda 27% increase in sales after one year for entrepreneurs who attended PI Training in Uganda ​ Read More PI Impact The PI Training creates an impact through increasing entrepreneurial success PI TRAINING Impact The impact of Personal Initiative (PI) Training is manifold. First, it changes the mindset of entrepreneurs, which enables them to identify new opportunities, act on them quickly, develop better ideas on how to influence their environment, get more feedback and persist in the pursuit of their new ideas. Second, by providing an effective entrepreneurship training in low- and middle-income economies all over the world, we as implementing partner support the growth of local businesses, and thereby contribute to poverty reduction. Third, we help policy makers and practitioners alike to develop better educational programs for entrepreneurs. The PI Training is based on scientific evidence, and research meets the highest scientific quality standards by utilizing randomized controlled trials (RCTs). RCTs are the only approach that allows to draw causal conclusions and to better understand the conditions and mechanisms by which entrepreneurship trainings affect business success. PI Training has been implemented in the context of several internationally funded research projects in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean. PI Training is evaluated using multiple measurement waves. In Togo, for example, its impact was assessed over a period of more than two years. Below, you find some facts and figures from Leuphana University's research in Uganda and Togo (see Glaub et al., 2014; Campos et al., 2017). EXPERIENCES WITH PI What Participants Say ... The training has changed my life more than my business. The Personal Initiative Training opened my eyes, enabling me to grow my business in new and exciting ways. This training is very helpful for me. The business was dying and it has been reactivated because of this training. Just make it available for all business persons, it would make a difference on people first, then on society. I have to say that I am very satisfied with the training and very grateful for giving me the opportunity to participate. Thank you! My wife is so much more passionate about running her own business now. PI Training is like adding fuel to the fire. - A participant's husband PI TRAINING PI Training Projects View all CONTACT Get in Touch Your Name Your E-Mail Address Message I have read and agree to the terms of use . Send info@doorways-training.org +49 4134 9099726 Wiesenweg 2 21406 Barnstedt Home Doorways About Us Our Projects Success Stories Clients and Partners Contact STEP STEP Impact STEP Projects STEP Success Stories STEP Publications PI PI Impact PI Projects PI Success Stories PI Publications Blog FAQs Support Us © 2023 Doorways gGmbH. All Rights Reserved Terms of Use Imprint +49 4134 9099726 info@doorways-training.org Wiesenweg 2 21406 Barnstedt

First PI Training in Central Asia TAJIKISTAN CLIENT: INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT GROUP (IMG) DONOR: JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY (JICA) ​ Description of project: In a pilot project together with IMG Partners (Japan), we have trained four trainers from different regions in Tajikistan to deliver a shortened version of the PI Training to female small-scale business owners. The Train-the-Trainer workshop was delivered in Duschanbe, Tajikistan in February 2023 and a subsequent pilot training was conducted in three provinces of Tajikistan to small groups of female entrepreneurs. Working together with a Tajik Incubator (State Business Incubator) that was established in a project funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the team of trainers then delivered the training to an initial cohort of 60 female entrepreneurs. PI Training in Zambia Digital Content Creation

STEP Training for Young Women SOUTH AFRICA CLIENT: COMMUNITY MEDIA TRUST (CMT) DONOR: The project is funded by the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ​ Description of project: The objective of the project is to provide 1,825 young women (aged 15-24) with entrepreneurial skills and knowledge. To achieve this, the local NGO Community Media Trust (CMT) and we implement the STEP Training in five different regions of South Africa, some rural and some urban. The training program is an important building block for the economic empowerment/financial independence of vulnerable groups and contributes to CMT's overall goal of improving the health and human rights of South Africans. PI Training in Bangladesh STEP Sustainability

Msafiri An innovative fashion business to preserve Tanzanian culture Due to the huge international influence on Tanzanian fashion market Msafiri felt as a part of Tanzanian culture was lost. He wanted to do his part in preserving his culture – and his business idea was born. Msafiri Raphael attended a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance at Dar es Salaam Business School and graduated in 2016. The first time he appeared in our office, he had his iPad and smartphone in his hands, wearing a sort of traditional African material but still fashioned t-shirt, and seemed to be busy and distracted. However, when we started our conversation it became clear that his general appearance was a clever move to guide our views towards his clothing. He was challenging our intuitive thinking by appearing like a busy sales-person but wearing traditional fabric clothes. During our conversation Msafiri explained that he started a small tailor’s shop in Dar es Salaam market district Mwenge after he graduated. Throughout his studies he dreamed of working in a big international corporation leaving his home town or even Tanzania. However, as he graduated the opportunities to find a job in a big corporation were very low. He and his fellow students were struggling to find jobs and thus many of them were pushed to make use of their own business ideas. Msafiri was born in a small town close to Moshi. His father was a tailor, which affected Msafiri’s early understanding of clothing and dressing. Throughout his childhood he learned to distinguish good and bad materials. He developed his own understanding of how clothes should fit to their wearer. However, when he started his Bachelor in Dar es Salaam he recognized different international influences on the Tanzanian clothes market. Second-hand clothes from Europe were sold on Dar es Salaam markets and shaped the fashion in the city. This gave Msafiri the feeling of losing a part of Tanzanian culture. He thus developed the idea to produce customized fashion using European cuts and traditional Tanzanian fabrics. Shortly before Msafiri graduated, he decided to make use of his idea. As his father had some contacts in Dar es Salaam, it was quite easy for Msafiri to start. First, he had one tailor who was tailoring the clothes for him. Msafiri was doing the marketing, getting customers and discussing the different cuts and fabrics with them. After he graduated he tried to scale up his plans. Second, he was looking for a shop close to a crowded market region in Mwenge. After his customer base was big enough and his tailor was overstrained by the different orders, Msafiri decided to employ two other tailors. As his shop was located very close to the market, Msafiri was able to look for different fabrics with his customers without needing his own big fabric stock. In his first business year Msafiri produced dresses, suits, bags and all kinds of clothes. He combined “western” trends and traditional Tanzanian fabrics which gave his designs a very special touch. Today Msafiri empoys six tailors in his small shop in Mwenge. By producing about 100 different customized clothes per month, Msafiri’s shop has a monthly turnover of about 3.5 million TZS. His own monthly salary is about 500.000 TZS which equates to an average monthly salary of a big corporation. In early 2017 Msafiri started to produce his first non-customized products for foreign markets. Due to international contacts he made at university, he received the possibility to send clothes abroad and immerge in new markets. The STEP training gave Msafiri the opportunity and skills to make use of his business idea. Today, he can be seen as a very successful entrepreneur, knowing his market and designing a sustaining business strategy. In our call he mentioned that he will have some problems in further scaling his business in the future, as tailored fashion is very individual and requires a lot of customer service. However, he also stated that through the knowledge he gained by attending the STEP training, he will be able to enhance his business model and strategy. Success Story of Martin Success Story of Janet info@doorways-training.org +49 4134 9099726 Wiesenweg 2 21406 Barnstedt Home Doorways About Us Our Projects Success Stories Clients and Partners Contact STEP STEP Impact STEP Projects STEP Success Stories STEP Publications PI PI Impact PI Projects PI Success Stories PI Publications Blog FAQs Support Us © 2023 Doorways gGmbH. All Rights Reserved Terms of Use Imprint +49 4134 9099726 info@doorways-training.org Wiesenweg 2 21406 Barnstedt

STEP Training in Lebanon LEBANON CLIENT: GERMAN ACADEMIC EXCHANGE SERVICE (DAAD) ​ Description of project: The AZM University was the first university in Lebanon – and generally the first in an Arabic country – to implement the STEP Training. Located in the country’s second-largest city, Tripoli, AZM University implemented the STEP Training for the first time in 2019. The project aimed at establishing a network of universities to jointly foster entrepreneurship education in Lebanon. It marked an entry point to establish an entrepreneurship track at AZM University and to prepare students for extracurricular activities in terms of national and international entrepreneurship competitions. After the first successful implementation in 2019, the Arab Open University joined the project in 2020 to implement the STEP Training at both universities. Due to the COVID pandemic, it was the first ever implementation of the STEP Training in a virtual learning style. The vital exchange between researchers and project coordinators from all institutions demonstrated the great interest in promoting entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship education in Lebanon. ​ Doorways co-founders Jakob Weers and Benjamin Scharweit were responsible for the implementation of the project as a member of Leuphana University. STEP Training for Student Teachers PI Training for Female Farmers

Dennis Ngeno The importance of risk evaluation Dennis Ngeno early realized that he has a burning desire to be his own boss and to decide independently what to do with his time and how to organize himself. The STEP program brought him one step closer to his goal: to be self-employed, running a very successful business. Dennis Ngeno early realized that he has a burning desire to be his own boss and to decide independently what to do with his time and how to organize himself. The STEP program brought him one step closer to his goal: to be self-employed, running a very successful business. Today, he owns a company that (among other services) takes care of the water provision at larger events. He identified this business opportunity during the STEP program by analyzing his own resources, the market conditions and potential customers. With this business, he did not only employ himself, but he also created jobs for three permanent employees. Depending on the season and the workload, he sometimes even employs up to six persons. Right now, he is still in school and runs his business from there. Once he is done with books, he plans to fully concentrate on his business. Furthermore, due to the previous success of his business, Dennis even aims to further expand the business in the near future. He states, that the STEP program taught him (among others) the skill of risk evaluation, which he did not possess before. He learnt that entrepreneurship is about more than administration of capital, but also includes the consideration of different market factors, in-depth analyses of costumers and the specific target group, and the relationship of supply and demand. He also learnt how to address challenges and that it is mostly best to face them systematically. For an entrepreneur, it is essential to detect potential risks early enough to initiate counter-measures before a risk becomes life-threatening for the business. Dennis explains that the STEP program helped him a great deal in preparing for challenges, finding a way out of risky situations and planning far ahead, for example by writing a business plan. Lastly, he has an advice for youths, who find themselves in a similar situation to his. He recommends not to be scared of new ventures. Starting with a small manageable risk can still lead to success. From there on, business risk as well as success can easily grow. Success Story of YANA Trekkers Success Story of Pascal info@doorways-training.org +49 4134 9099726 Wiesenweg 2 21406 Barnstedt Home Doorways About Us Our Projects Success Stories Clients and Partners Contact STEP STEP Impact STEP Projects STEP Success Stories STEP Publications PI PI Impact PI Projects PI Success Stories PI Publications Blog FAQs Support Us © 2023 Doorways gGmbH. All Rights Reserved Terms of Use Imprint +49 4134 9099726 info@doorways-training.org Wiesenweg 2 21406 Barnstedt

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