MedUp!
Promoting social entrepreneurship
in the mediterranean region
Social entrepreneurship for inclusive growth
In response to the urgent need for sustainable growth and employment in the Southern Mediterranean region—where 5 million new jobs were needed annually to ensure social inclusion—this regional programme focused on unlocking the potential of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
Despite representing 90% of total employment, the 6 million MSMEs in the region had contributed only marginally to sustainable development. Co-financed by EuropeAid, this programme aimed to transform these enterprises into engines of inclusive economic growth, better jobs, and social stability.
Creating more productive, efficient, and socially impactful businesses required a multi-layered strategy: strengthening business support institutions, developing inclusive financing mechanisms, engaging unconventional stakeholders (municipalities, private sector, academia), fostering cross-border collaboration, and influencing policy in favour of social justice and economic development.
What we set out to achieve
Our global goal
To promote an enabling environment in Southern Mediterranean countries for the development of the social entrepreneurship sector as a driver of inclusive growth and job creation.
Our specific mission
To increase economic inclusiveness and employment in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestine by:
Supporting the implementation of adequate social entrepreneurship policies
Encouraging public-private dialogue and knowledge exchange
Delivering high-quality services for social enterprises
Our approach
The programme applied a multi-level strategy:
MACRO: Shaping policy
and systems
Supported national and cross-border policy initiatives and fostered public-private dialogue to improve regulatory and policy environments for social entrepreneurship.
MESO: Strengthening support networks
Strengthened 60 social entrepreneurship support organisations (SESOs) through targeted capacity-building and regional networking activities.
MICRO: Empowering
real enterprises
Delivered financial and technical assistance to 100 social enterprises, helping them grow, innovate, and create quality employment opportunities.
Stories of change
In its final year, MedUp! Set out to disseminate the good practices of social entrepreneurship in the MENA region through this publication.
This publication—a book of stories—brings together some of the most successful and scalable social enterprise initiatives through the programme, with a special focus on enterprises led by women, youth, and rural communities.
By sharing these real-life examples of innovation and resilience, MedUp! aimed to inspire the next generation of impact-driven entrepreneurs, foster meaningful connections across the ecosystem, and raise awareness about the transformative power of social enterprise.
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