We would like to honor Soraya Salti, a Jordanian entrepreneur, as our empowered Arab woman of January. In 2013, the U.N. International Labour Organization released a report stating that the Arab region has the highest rates of youth employment in the world. With the continuous lack of opportunities for Arab youth, especially women, Salti’s work in creating business opportunities for young men and women in the region provides a way for them to advance economically and socially.
Salti received her B.A. in her Economics and Accounting and her M.B.A. from Northwestern University and is currently the senior vice president of the Middle East/North Africa and the regional director for INJAZ Al-Arab, a non-profit focused on youth education and development. Salti previously worked with Jordan’s Ministry of Planning and is a founding board member of the Business Development Center in Jordan. Her work in development has been recognized by global and regional leaders, including fellow empowered Arab women of the month, Queen Rania of Jordan. Salti was the first Arab women to win the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, an award that recognized Salti for her work on the educational and economic advancement for Arab youth. Her work has also been recognized by other institutions as she is the the recipient of the Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership and was recognized as the Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year and the World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
EAΣ deeply admires Salti's push to inspire Arab youth and provide a space for them to create and develop their ideas. Salti describes her work in INJAZ by stating, "The students are so oppressed in the environment they exist in. In schools, they are just recipients of information, and in their households, it's a patriarchal society, so it's the father always saying “Hush, be quiet, get out of my way.” They’re probably one of seven, if not one of ten kids in their household. No one is listening to them. No one is there saying, you know, “What do you think? What do you think about life? What do you think about your future? What do you do every day? What excites you?” So, they’re kind of left alone. Then all of a sudden when you captivate and inspire them, the Junior Achievement Injaz program becomes their way to let out this cooped-up energy that they have and channel it into a positive direction that in the end becomes an investment in their own future."
As an organization filled with young women who aspire to establish their own careers, we proudly commend and respect Salti’s dedication to the economic empowerment of Arab youth and we look forward to her many more accomplishments.
Salti received her B.A. in her Economics and Accounting and her M.B.A. from Northwestern University and is currently the senior vice president of the Middle East/North Africa and the regional director for INJAZ Al-Arab, a non-profit focused on youth education and development. Salti previously worked with Jordan’s Ministry of Planning and is a founding board member of the Business Development Center in Jordan. Her work in development has been recognized by global and regional leaders, including fellow empowered Arab women of the month, Queen Rania of Jordan. Salti was the first Arab women to win the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship, an award that recognized Salti for her work on the educational and economic advancement for Arab youth. Her work has also been recognized by other institutions as she is the the recipient of the Henry R. Kravis Prize in Leadership and was recognized as the Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year and the World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
EAΣ deeply admires Salti's push to inspire Arab youth and provide a space for them to create and develop their ideas. Salti describes her work in INJAZ by stating, "The students are so oppressed in the environment they exist in. In schools, they are just recipients of information, and in their households, it's a patriarchal society, so it's the father always saying “Hush, be quiet, get out of my way.” They’re probably one of seven, if not one of ten kids in their household. No one is listening to them. No one is there saying, you know, “What do you think? What do you think about life? What do you think about your future? What do you do every day? What excites you?” So, they’re kind of left alone. Then all of a sudden when you captivate and inspire them, the Junior Achievement Injaz program becomes their way to let out this cooped-up energy that they have and channel it into a positive direction that in the end becomes an investment in their own future."
As an organization filled with young women who aspire to establish their own careers, we proudly commend and respect Salti’s dedication to the economic empowerment of Arab youth and we look forward to her many more accomplishments.
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