LocationsInnovation Sahara: success stories from the South
April 9, 2026
Livelihood opportunities in the south are stark, with young people striving for economic diversification. While there is no shortage of potential, energy, or big ideas, distance from markets, limited access to resources, and long-standing perceptions that innovation belongs to larger urban centres makes it difficult for people to embark on an entrepreneurial pathway.
Innovation Sahara was designed to respond to this gap, building on the Deraya Entrepreneurship Initiative’s broader experience in supporting entrepreneurs across Libya. In late 2024, the programme was launched in Sebha, Ubari, Bint Bayya, Gurda Al-Shati, and Al-Sharquia, targeting innovators with entrepreneurial idea across the south. Over 110 participants, including 53 women-led ventures received training in budgeting, business planning, and marketing, with 60 startups, including 23 women-led startups receiving grants to launch their own projects.
Together, these efforts reflect a growing shift in how economic opportunity is being shaped in the south — grounded in local needs, driven by local talents, and sustained through practical support.
These stories illustrate how this shift is taking shape across different sectors, through the journeys of Innovation Sahara grant recipients:
Rahma El Farjani, Gurda Al-Shati
Before undergoing Innovation Sahara training, Rahma was a home-based architect. She had always strived to redefine architectural services in the south as a process of collaboration to create meaningful spaces. However, working from home= limited her visibility and access to clients, making it difficult to expand and earn a decent living from her profession.
Despite the training and the grant, she received to establish Dalilak for Architectural Services, Rahma faced challenges when opening her small office. “People lacked awareness about engineering, particularly architecture, as they often view an architect as just a draftsman,” Rahma said. “In fact, there were no engineering offices in the Al-Shati area.”
Today, with the Innovation Sahara grant, she leads the first architectural firm in the region, and is in the process of building a small team. By introducing professional architectural services to Gurda Al-Shati, Rahma is helping set new standards for how design and planning contribute to development in the wider south.
Hamed Mohamed, Gurda Al-Shati
Hamed runs Gurda’s Akakus Restaurant through the support he received from Innovation Sahara. “Once a customer tries our food, they always come back,” Hamed says proudly.
When formulating his idea, Hamed knew his neighbors were underserved, with minimal options for food delivery. Through the support he received, Hamed was able to hire 14 people, including chefs, cleaners, and delivery riders, to meet increasing local demand.
Beyond meeting customer needs, the restaurant has become a source of stable income for local workers, demonstrating how small businesses can play a critical role in strengthening local economies and creating employment opportunities.
Youssef Al-Hidiri, Sebha
Youssef, an IT graduate, saw a city full of potential but hampered by distance. A programmer by trade, his participation in a hackathon in 2022 sparked the idea for Gdyah, an e-commerce app connecting restaurants and customers through features such as online payment and delivery tracking.
Early challenges, including delivery delays caused by reliance on independent drivers and uncoordinated restaurant operations, pushed Youssef to adapt. He introduced company-owned delivery bikes and hired a dedicated logistics team to streamline operations. Incubator workshops on marketing and business management further helped him shape Gdyah into a reliable and essential service for the region.
Today, Youssef leads a technical team in Sebha, contributing to the growth of locally developed digital solutions in the city. With plans to capture 35% of the local market and expand to neighboring areas, his journey highlights the importance of adaptability, teamwork, and careful planning in turning innovation into sustainable services.
Mariam Kilani, Ghat
Mariam started her catering business to serve students, working women, and people with specific dietary needs. With limited resources and frequent power outages, she faced significant challenges, yet her commitment to quality and customized meals kept clients coming back.
Through social media and the incubator’s training, Mariam strengthened her customer outreach and business management skills. She gradually scaled her operation to serve corporate clients, preparing meals for employees at banks and companies, and helping elevate expectations around catering services in her community.
Mariam plans to invest in refrigeration and advanced cooking equipment to further improve efficiency. Her story illustrates how small, consistent improvements — supported by targeted training and resources — can lead to meaningful growth in a competitive industry.
Together, these stories reflect more than individual success. They point to a broader transformation taking place in the south — where innovation is increasingly shaped by local realities, supported through practical partnerships, and driven by entrepreneurs committed to their communities.
This project was funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Secretary General's Peacebuilding Fund, with support from the United Nations Development Programme and in close cooperation with the National Programme for Small and Medium Enterprises and the Ministry of Local Government. It is being implemented through the Tadawul Financial Group.
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