There are 1.8 million Palestinians living in Gaza, a strip of land bordered by Israel, the Mediterranean Sea and Egypt. Since 2007, it has been governed by militant organization Hamas, and the economy has deteriorated. One quarter of the population lives in poverty, and over 60% of the youth are unemployed. The war this summer just added to the devastation.
“The skill level is definitely lower than Silicon Valley,” said Montauk, who is from the U.S. “There isn’t a Google or a Microsoft creating that kind of talent. [But] compared to other Arab countries, the tech skills are considered quite high.”
Mercy Corps takes care of the logistics of bringing in outside mentors and helps Palestinian entrepreneurs travel outside Gaza for business opportunities. Most Gazans have never traveled more than 20 miles from home.
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