A qualitative analysis of social enterprise issues and dynamics in Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt and Palestine

At a time when solutions to the West Asia and North Africa region’s social ills and environmental degradation continue apace, the region can neither depend on the ineffective public sector or more traditional donor driven interventions. In this context, social entrepreneurship is emerging as a trend in the region which can lend itself towards addressing part of the social ills afflicting the region. However, social enterprise development and social entrepreneurship are still in their conceptual, regulatory and operational infancy.

In order to explore these areas and promote social entrepreneurship as a means to address long-standing issues in West Asia and North Africa, Triangle was contracted by the Ahead of the Curve organisation to map key constituents of social entrepreneurship in Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt as well as provide informed analysis on issues and trends in social entrepreneurship across these four geographies. Findings and recommendations also serve key stakeholders such as prospective investors about opportunities and dynamics in the social entrepreneurship sector.