---
title: "From Struggle to Success: How Five Million Young Lives Are Being Transformed"
description: Silatech empowers youth across the Middle East and North Africa with jobs, skills and microfinance–advancing gender equality and education to drive change.
author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief)
date: 2025-11-26T10:38:08.000Z
updated: 2026-02-26T22:05:43.850Z
canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/from-struggle-to-success-how-five-million-young-lives-are-being-transformed
image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/eaahh1.jpeg
categories: Philanthropic Minds
content_type: Column
region: Middle East & Africa
publication: Rich Woman Magazine
---

Across the Middle East and North Africa, young people face daunting challenges in their search for meaningful work. But within these struggles, stories of resilience and change are taking shape—thanks to initiatives that focus on creating real opportunities. Silatech, part of the Education Above All Foundation (EAA), has become a driving force in this transformation, helping millions of young people build sustainable futures.

At this year’s WISE Summit in Doha, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser announced that Silatech had exceeded its 2019 commitment to provide five million job opportunities for young people. The milestone is significant, but the true impact lies in the individual lives changed—young men and women who, with access to education and training, are now shaping their own destinies.

## The Power of Opportunity

In Somalia, 24-year-old Amina used a microfinance loan from Silatech to launch her tailoring business. Today, she employs three other women in her community, proving how targeted support can break cycles of unemployment and help [women reimagine their potential](https://richwoman.co/article/challenging-the-status-quo-to-re-imagine-women-s-potential-a-battle-between-social-conditioni). Her story is one of thousands across the Arab world, from Yemen to Morocco, where young people are gaining the tools to build their own futures.

In Qatar, where youth unemployment remains exceptionally low at 0.6%, Silatech’s partnerships ensure even marginalised young people have access to opportunities. Khalid, a recent graduate, struggled to find work until he completed a digital marketing course through the University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST). The training led to a stable job—proof that [real-world skills and training](https://richwoman.co/article/how-internship-is-giving-young-women-a-real-way-to-make-a-difference) can open doors.

## Skills for a Changing World

Silatech’s work extends beyond job placement, focusing on equipping young people with skills that matter. In Morocco, the Youth Opportunity II project, run with Al-Amana Microfinance, has supported over 180,000 young entrepreneurs with loans and financial training. At least 40% of these opportunities go to young women, ensuring [gender equality remains central](https://richwoman.co/article/all-hands-on-deck-everyone-has-a-role-to-play-in-advancing-gender-equality) to the effort.

For 22-year-old Fatima in Egypt, a microfinance loan meant the chance to start a catering business. She now supports her family and plans to expand—one of many examples showing how [women’s leadership and entrepreneurship](https://richwoman.co/article/women-s-leadership-networks-catalyse-12-billion-annual-social-impact) can transform lives. In Somalia alone, Silatech’s initiatives have created over 1700 jobs for young people.

## A Blueprint for Change

Silatech’s success comes from collaboration—working with governments, NGOs and private companies to connect young people with jobs, training and entrepreneurship support. In Brazil, a partnership with UNICEF through the ‘One Million Opportunities’ initiative has placed over 371,000 young people in jobs since 2022. This model is now being adapted across the Middle East, where youth unemployment remains critically high in some areas.

The five million opportunities milestone is just the beginning. As Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser noted, the focus must stay on collective action to secure a future where every young person has the chance to thrive. For individuals like Amina, Khalid and Fatima, Silatech’s work represents more than just employment—it means hope, dignity and the power to shape their own lives.

## The Road Ahead

The challenge of youth unemployment in the Middle East is immense, but initiatives like Silatech show that progress is possible. By focusing on real stories of change, we see the tangible impact of [economic empowerment for both women and men](https://richwoman.co/article/a-fractured-world-is-the-gender-pay-gap-a-challenge-for-women-or-for-humanity). As the programme expands, the goal remains clear: to ensure every young person, no matter their background, has the opportunity to succeed.

For now, the journeys of Amina, Khalid, Fatima and countless others serve as a reminder of what happens when education, skills and opportunity come together. Their successes are not just personal victories—they are proof of what investing in young people can achieve.
