On Saturday, 19 August 2018, activities of the first entrepreneurial event, Gaza Startup Weekend Kids 0.2, was successfully concluded at the Child Centre – Gaza (CCG) / A. M. Qattan Foundation. The event brought together children who had submitted proposals for entrepreneurial projects.
Startup Weekend Kids is an international entrepreneurial event that aims at encouraging kidpreneurs aged 9-15 to come together and learn the principles and basics of business entrepreneurship. Kidpreneurs also learn skills in communication, team building, problem solving and decision making.
Launched on 16 August 2018, Gaza Startup Weekend Kids 0.2 was a 54-hour event held over three days of the weekend at the CCG. The competition started with 50 ideas. The best 11 ideas were selected and working groups were formed. On the final day, kidpreneurs pitched the ideas of their startups to the audience and the jury.
Engineer Abdelrahman Hawajri, a member of the jury, said: “All ideas were excellent and higher than expected. Children made a great effort. That was visible in their presentations, highly spirited discussion, and defence of their ideas which they believed in.”
On her impression about the event, Dr. Sana al-Sayegh, mother of Mohammed (the youngest participant) and Duha Izz al-Arab al-‘Awour who participated in two different teams, expressed the conviction that this entrepreneurial event was extremely important. “I participated in the event several years ago with my husband. Then, I encouraged my university students to participate. Today, I encourage my children and wish them good luck.” Dr. Sana commented.
Aya Hussein, a participant, said she was pleased that her startup team won the first place. The team created Davinci, an Arabic smartphone app that offers courses on drawing. The app targets children with interest in drawing, as well as amateurs, and fine art graduates.
The Artificial Limb startup team won the second place. The idea was designed and implemented by some members of the CCG Programmers’ Club. The projects provides support to amputees.
The Your Psychosocial Counsellor startup team came in third. The project is a smartphone app that provides needed psychological support.
Distinctive startup teams were as follows: Step by Step is an excellent startup project that translates a community need into a particular idea. It delivers services to the families of children with birth asphyxia (lack of oxygen at the time of birth). Based on the idea of recycling, Zarkasha (Ornament) is another special startup for environment conservation. Have Fun is a distinctive startup project for the happy family. It provides a family guide to recreational facilities and restaurants, where families can spend fun time. The project offers options that suit families’ financial resources.
Gaza Startup Weekend Kids 0.2 was implemented under the auspices of, and in partnership between, the CCG (Main Sponsor), Higher Council for Innovation and Excellence (Gold Sponsor), Smart Kit, Beacon (Media Sponsor), and Techstars. The event was held with support from Google for Entrepreneurs. It was organised for the second time at the CCG. The first event took place in 2016.