YANA Trekkers Establishing trust is key The students are very thankful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of joining the STEP training. It made them understand that running a business is not only a constant challenge between continuing and giving up but also a special and desired opportunity to grow. During the STEP program at Strathmore University in 2018, Alex Mbogo, Charles Muathe, Daisy Mwende, Edwin Magalasia, and Nick Gahire came up with the idea of starting a travel agency. In the very beginning, every team member tried to pitch their own business ideas, but then they began to evaluate every members’ interests and needs. Among all business ideas, they decided on starting a travel agency named YANA Trekkers. This decision was mainly driven by the vision to create a sustainable business. The name YANA means “You Are Never Alone” and derives from the values and principles their business shares: “We are team-driven by our passion towards nature. Our focus is to offer travel packages that are fun and memorable.” Besides affordable travel packages they offer team building, travel logistics, and well captured moments. The early-stage startup faced several setbacks and difficult challenges. According to their report, the most significant challenge was to establish a trustworthy brand. As they had to cancel their first trip due to a lack of customers, they identified that marketing was a crucial factor to promote trust. Hence, they developed several strategies in order to change the brand perception. By now, they undertake professional and targeted marketing activities on Facebook and Instagram (look for YANA trekkers!). Their second trip aimed at promoting trust and at attracting new customers by sharing photos and videos via social media. They succeeded in increasing trust, winning more profitable deals, and attracting new clients for their upcoming third trip. By the end of the training, they worked on a business plan and a website to make their business grow further. One of the team members compared the development of their business to a journey: “It has been a journey for us up to right now, a journey of mistakes and successes at the same time. We have learned a lot and worked hard during this time.” In the long run, their main target is to register their business, to professionalize their service, and to win a title of Kenya’s best touring company. Their future vision is to show Kenyans that Africa with its beautiful culture is a continent worth visiting. With an eye to fulfilling the vision of changing Kenya’s travel industry, they plan to use and develop new technologies. The students are very thankful for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of joining the STEP training. It made them understand that running a business is not only a constant challenge between continuing and giving up but also a special and desired opportunity to grow. Every session of the STEP training took them one STEP further on the long way of becoming successful entrepreneurs: “Every lesson I have had something to take home.” In general, the training taught them strategic planning skills. In particular, the session on bookkeeping helped them to separate their personal from their business money and to understand that they have to pay themselves a salary. In addition, the team members experienced a valuable mindset change and developed a never-give-up attitude: “The STEP training taught us not to give up when things are not working. It pushed us to stay with an idea and push it until it happens.” Altogether, they appreciated that the training was of a practical nature, which facilitated the transfer of knowledge and skills acquired inside the classroom to their real-life business. They are convinced that STEP is a valuable impetus to start a business, but equally depends on self-initiative. After completing the STEP training one group member told us: “I really want to do business in the future, so I was like if I don’t do it know there won’t be a right time.” Asked to give three advices for future STEP students, they stated the following: “Firstly, there is power in team. Secondly, 100 USD is a lot of money and even if someone has an idea that requires more starting capital they can break it down. Lastly, just start!” Success Story of Popcorn Parlour Success Story of Dennis 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

Our Projects Learn more about our work and diverse experiences around the world NIGERIA | NOVEMBER 2023 STEP at Universities and for Communities Complete the train-the-trainer workshop and report on program. Supervise initial stages of the training process BANGLADESH | DECEMBER 2022 PI Training for Refugees (Kutupalong Camp) Preparation of training materials for a PI training in the Kutupalong Refugee Camp GERMANY | OCTOBER 2022 Digital Content Creation for Entrepreneurship Education Creation of education videos for the subject "effectuation and causation" SOUTH AFRICA | APRIL 2023 Empowering Young Women With Entrepreneurial Skills The objective of the project is to provide 1,825 young women (aged 15-24) with entrepreneurial skills and knowledge Read More NIGER | JULY 2022 - DECEMBER 2023 PI Training for Adolescent Girls PI Training will be tested using a RCT against the entrepreneurship training that has been part of the economic empowerment component of the SWEDD (Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend) project. The project runs through Leuphana University Lüneburg, responsible for the implementation is Doorways co-founder Benjamin Scharweit. Read More BURKINA FASO | JULY 2022 - DECEMBER 2023 Trading Support and PI Training The project at hand aims to improve the business skills of small-scale cross-border traders in Burkina Faso. The project runs through Leuphana University Lüneburg, responsible for the implementation is Doorways co-founder Benjamin Scharweit. Read More MOZAMBIQUE | MAY 2017 - APRIL 2020 PI Training for Women Farmer’s The World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab (GIL) conducted a randomized control trial (RCT) study to measure the impact of a training intervention targeted to a sample of 2,000 poor female farmers across 100 communities in Tete province. The project ran through Leuphana University Lüneburg, responsible for the implementation was Doorways co-founder Benjamin Scharweit. Read More SOUTH AFRICA | FEB. 2019 - JAN. 2020 STEP Training at Two Rural Universities The object of the project was the sustainable implementation of STEP at two rural universities in South Africa to contribute to the improvement of the quality of education as well as to the reduction of youth unemployment in South Africa. The project ran through Leuphana University Lüneburg, responsible for the implementation was Doorways co-founder Carina Bohlayer. Read More SOUTH AFRICA | APRIL 2022 - MARCH 2024 STEP Sustainability The project comprises the following components: Development, implementation, and evaluation of STEP Sustainability (a new variant focusing on social/sustainable entrepreneurship) at a new partner university in South Africa. The project runs through Leuphana University Lüneburg, responsible for the implementation is Doorways co-founder Carina Bohlayer. Read More UGANDA, KENYA, TANZANIA | SEP. 2017 - DEC. 2021 Entrepreneurship for Student Teachers The goal of the project was to develop a new entrepreneurship curriculum for student teachers to be rolled out at different universities in eastern Africa with a primary focus on Uganda. The project ran through Leuphana University Lüneburg, responsible for the implementation was Doorways co-founder Jakob Weers. Read More CONTACT Get in Touch Your Name Your E-Mail Address Message I have read and agree to the terms of use . Send MOZAMBIQUE | SINCE JULY 2023 PI Training for Farmers In a WFP funded project we adjusted the Personal Initiative (PI) Training curriculum for small-scale farmers and trained local trainers in the provinces of Nampula and Cabo Delgado. Read More MALAWI | SINCE JUNE 2023 PI Training for MSMEs Personal Initiative (PI) Training for 2,500 MSMEs as part of the Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship Scaling (FInES) Project. Read More INDIA | SINCE JUNE 2023 PI Training for Rural Entrepreneurs in Tamil Nadu Together with The World Bank’s South Asia Region Gender Innovation Lab (SAR GIL) and the local implementation partner Hand In Hand India we are investigating the effectiveness of a PI Training for 1,000 small-scale entrepreneurs. Read More EGYPT | SINCE JULY 2023 PI Training Content Development for MSME Retailers In an IFC funded project we develop 3 training sessions for mainly female retailers who are registered with the B2B retail platform MaxAB. Read More BANGLADESH | SINCE DECEMBER 2022 PI Training and Effectuation Training for Rohingya Refugees The PI Training is tested in a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) against an Effectuation Training that was newly developed for the project. Read More SOUTH AFRICA | SINCE APRIL 2022 STEP Training for Young Women STEP Training for 1,825 young women in five regions of South Africa in cooperation with the NGO Community Media Trust (CMT). Read More SOUTH AFRICA | SINCE APRIL 2022 STEP Sustainability In this project, STEP Sustainability (an entrepreneurship training variant focusing on social/sustainable entrepreneurship) was developed, implemented, and evaluated in a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT). Read More NIGER | SINCE JANUARY 2022 PI Training for Adolescent Girls and Young Women PI Training will be tested for adolescent girls and young women who are part of the economic empowerment component of the SWEDD (Sahel Women’s Empowerment and Demographic Dividend) project. Read More AFRICA | SINCE OCTOBER 2020 Content Development for PI-Ag Training Together with FAO and MIT Bootcamps, we developed a Personal Initiative Agripreneurship (PI-Ag) Training that combines the value chain approach with entrepreneurship best practices and PI Training. Read More PHILIPPINES | JULY - SEPTEMBER 2023 PI Training Short Version and Training of Trainers Together with IMG Partners, we developed a contextualized and shortened version of the PI Training for the Philippines. We trained trainers to deliver this short version in politically unstable regions of Mindanao. Read More BURKINA FASO | JULY 2022 - AUGUST 2023 Trading Support and PI Training The project aims to measure the impact of a PI Training targeted to a sample of 1,671 small-scale cross-border traders. It will also measure the impact of the PI Training together with a commplementary mentoring intervention. Read More ZAMBIA | APRIL - MAY 2023 PI Training for Entrepreneurs We trained local trainers from two Zambian NGOs with the necessary skills and knowledge to conduct the Personal Initiative Training for entrepreneurs throughout the country. Read More TAJIKISTAN | FEBRUARY - MAY 2023 First PI Training in Central Asia In a pilot project together with IMG Partners (Japan), we trained four trainers from different regions in Tajikistan to deliver a shortened version of the PI Training to female small-scale business owners. Read More GERMANY | OCTOBER 2022 Digital Content Creation for Entrepreneurship Education Creation of education videos for the subject "effectuation and causation". Read More NIGERIA | OCTOBER 2022 STEP Training at Universities and for Communities The project was carried out in cooperation with Godfrey Okoye University in Enegu and the ICMPD. New trainers were trained in a train-the-trainer workshop and will also facilitate the STEP Training at the Centre of Practical Skills in the Enegu region. Read More UGANDA, KENYA, TANZANIA | SEP. 2017 - DEC. 2021 Development of STEP Training Curriculum for Student Teachers A STEP Training curriculum was developed and tested to capacitate student teachers to train students in entrepreneurship at secondary schools. Read More LEBANON | SEPTEMBER 2019 - MAY 2021 STEP Training in Lebanon The project aimed at implementing the STEP Training and at establishing a network of universities to jointly foster entrepreneurship education in Lebanon. Read More MOZAMBIQUE | MAY 2017 - APRIL 2020 PI Training for Female Farmers Together with The World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab (GIL), the impact of the PI Training in addition to an agricultural extension program was measured with a sample of 2,000 poor female farmers across 100 communities in Tete province. Read More SOUTH AFRICA | FEB. 2019 - JAN. 2020 STEP Training at Two Rural Universities The object of the project was the sustainable implementation of the STEP Training at two rural universities in South Africa to contribute to the improvement of the quality of education as well as to the reduction of youth unemployment in South Africa. Read More ETHIOPIA | SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2019 PI Training for Female Factory Workers The objective of the project was to develop a new version of the PI Training curriculum for female factory workers at Bole Lemi Industrial Park in Addis Ababa. Read More

PI Training Short Version and Training of Trainers PHILIPPINES CLIENT: INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT GROUP (IMG) DONOR: JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY (JICA) ​ Description of project: Together with IMG Partners, we developed a contextualized and shortened version of the PI Training for the Philippines. In 3 Training of Trainer (ToT) workshops in Davao City we trained trainers to deliver this short version to small-scale entrepreneurs in politically unstable regions of Mindano. Within the project, the PI Training is an important element to provide holistic support to entrepreneurs. PI-Ag Training Trading Support and PI Training

PI Training and Effectuation Training for Rohingya Refugees BANGLADESH CLIENT: UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE DONOR: J-PAL ​ Description of project: Close to the city Cox’s Bazar more than 1 million Rohingya have found refuge, some for more than 30 years by now. In a joint pilot project with J-PAL , MIT , Y-RISE , University of Wageningen , University of Warwick , and the local implementation partner RTM , we evaluate the effectiveness of the PI Training and an Effectuation Training that was designed for this project in cooperation with Saras Sarasvathy. In order for both training programs to be carried out at Kutupalong Refugee Camp, 12 local trainers successfully completed a Train-the-Trainer workshop and will remain in direct contact with us throughout the implementation of the project. PI Training in Egypt STEP Training for Young Women

PI Training for Female Farmers MOZAMBIQUE CLIENT: THE WORLD BANK ​ Description of project: Under the auspices of a World Bank project led by the Trade and Competitiveness Global Practice, the World Bank’s Africa Gender Innovation Lab (GIL) conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) study to measure the impact of a training intervention targeted to a sample of 2,000 poor female farmers across 100 communities (20 women per community) in Tete province, Mozambique. The intervention provided all women in the sample with training on agronomy and basic business techniques (“hard-skills”). Half of the sample also received personal initiative training on non-cognitive skills to help women farmers stay motivated and overcome the psychological challenges associated with starting and running a cash crop business (“soft-skills”). ​ Doorways co-founder Benjamin Scharweit was responsible for the implementation of the project as a member of Leuphana University. STEP Training in Lebanon STEP Training at Two Rural Universities

Akouélé A Success Story from Togo Akouélé Ekoué Hettah, owner of a clothing boutique in Lomé, started her shop with limited business knowledge, or as she would say “blindly, by trial and error”. However, after taking the Personal Initiative Training course, she has become an accomplished entrepreneur. Having gained credibility in her business environment and vis-à-vis her customers and partners, she was able to obtain financing for her business much more easily. “When it comes to providing financing, we only think of banks and microfinance institutions, but after my training I realized that suppliers, friends, and relatives can also be sources of financing,” she said. ​ A constant pursuit of innovation is one of Akouélé’s most important attributes as it enables her “to stand out among her competitors.” Today she is adding her personal touches to wedding dresses that she has purchased from her suppliers, to attract more customers. “We need to have innovative products, creative ideas. We need to propose extra special items to appeal to our customers,” she says. ​ Akouélé has become more ambitious since her training and now has bigger dreams. Her boutique began to seem too small to her, so she moved her business to a more prestigious location on a boulevard in Totsi, a western suburb of Lomé. She has even turned her eyes to the international market, with a boutique already open in Benin and another under way in Ghana. Not only is Akouélé’s business growing, but so are her ambitions. Success Story of Habibou Success Story of Yeshi 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