A first group of Lebanese women entrepreneurs has officially started SheEmpower, an EU-funded program that promises training, mentoring, trade fairs and a shared online store. The group met for an introductory day at the Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture of Beirut and Mount Lebanon (CCIA-BML), the program's Lebanese partner.
In a post on its official Instagram account, the Chamber described the participants as a selected cohort of Lebanese women entrepreneurs and business owners working "across agribusiness and beyond."
Who Spoke and What Comes First
Rabih Sabra, Director General of the Chamber, opened the day by restating the Chamber's commitment to supporting women in business. Hana Nehme Haidar then presented the project, its upcoming opportunities and its milestones, before the session moved into an open discussion with the participants.
The next step is Stage 1 of a capacity-building program. It covers four areas: business foundations, leadership, innovation and digital skills.
A €2.7 Million Mediterranean Program
SheEmpower runs under Interreg NEXT MED, an EU cooperation program for countries around the Mediterranean. According to the program's official project page, SheEmpower has a total budget of €2.7 million, with the EU covering 89% of it. It started in December 2025 and is scheduled to end in June 2028.
The project is led by the Larnaca and Famagusta Districts Development Agency in Cyprus. Its eight partners come from Cyprus, Egypt, Italy, Spain, France and Lebanon, and include the Chamber of Commerce of Seville, CCI France Marseille, the University of Florence and the SME network INSME.
What Participants Can Expect Beyond Training
Across all partner countries, the project aims to train 280 women-led businesses. Figures shared at the project's launch in Cyprus earlier this year, as reported by the Cyprus Mail, include mentoring for 140 participants, e-business training for another 140, and support for 20 women starting new companies.
The plan also includes an innovation fair, an entrepreneurship award and cross-border business missions. A shared digital marketplace, the SheEmpower MEDe-Store, is meant to help participants sell their products beyond their home markets. The project's stated target is up to 100 new jobs across the region.
How many Lebanese businesses are in the Beirut cohort has not been published. For those selected, the value is practical: structured training, access to mentors, and a route into markets in Cyprus, Egypt and Southern Europe that most small Lebanese producers cannot reach on their own.
