Launching the WomenForGreen Initiative: Honoring 8 of Lebanon’s Most Inspiring and Innovative Women Entrepreneurs

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Fondation Diane launched the first edition of #WomenForGreen in February 2024. This unique initiative pays tribute to eight outstanding women green entrepreneurs and start-ups for their remarkable environmental achievements.

From a pool of 50 applicants, a carefully selected jury from Fondation Diane honored eight top women entrepreneurs at a special Citizen Café event on March 8, 2024, held at Avolique in Gemmayze. The event was sponsored by Taqa Snacks.

Diana Fadel, Founder and President of Fondation Diane, delivered a motivational keynote, emphasizing her unwavering commitment to women’s empowerment and her vision for elevating the role of women in advancing Lebanon’s Sustainability. She urged these pioneering women to continue their innovative projects, seeing them as symbols of hope and agents of transformation for a Sustainable Lebanon.

Soumaya Merhi, Founder of Taqa Snacks, also inspired the audience, particularly early-stage start-ups and women entrepreneurs. She shared, “I don’t just make cookies; I engage in environmental activism through Taqa Snacks.”

Following the keynote addresses, the eight top entrepreneurs delivered speeches and received green certificates from Fondation Diane, along with business ecosystem exposure and one-on-one advisory workshops.

The ceremony concluded with the announcement of the top three winners, each receiving a grant of $1,000:

• 1st Prize: Jessica Hokayem, Founder of Al Zourou3 – A groundbreaking blend of agriculture and tourism.
• 2nd Prize: Loubna Ajram, Founder of Lou-Mushrooms – An innovative initiative cultivating oyster mushrooms from coffee waste.
• 3rd Prize: Tia Kaedbay, Founder of Fairylistiic – Lebanon’s youngest CD artist, who redefines sustainability by breathing new life into old CDs with every brushstroke.

The other winners included:

• Manar Shehab, Founder of The Earth Weavers – Transforming fabric waste into wearable art.
• Carla Turk and Darine Saad, Founders of SoGlam – Harnessing the power of essential oils to create self-care products.
• Yasmina Jabali, Founder of MRUNA – Revolutionizing wastewater treatment, turning it into a resource for clean irrigation water while minimizing energy consumption.
• Farah Zein, Founder of Green Shift Leb – Upcycling old furniture with a creative touch.