Hadi Yahya's Bookstore is a second-hand books literary hub established by Hadi Yahya in 2019, primarily operating through Instagram and Facebook platforms. Hadi, a determined Lebanese youth with disabilities, conceived his project around the concept of revitalizing used books books. Within the initial year, the bookstore gathered hundreds of pre-loved books. The area lacks bookstores, libraries, and reliable internet access, making Hadi Yahya's Bookstore an alternative space for studying and reading. 

Founder of the eponymous bookstore Hadi Yahya stands in his shop in Lebanon’s Chouf area

“Opening this shop fulfilled a dream of mine, and I'm proud of our achievements.

EMDAD’s support was instrumental in bringing our vision to life, funding the establishment of our physical shop and creating our online presence through social media platforms,” he says. “Our journey began online as retailers in 2019, eventually evolving into a brick-and-mortar store with a unique business model and concept.

We offer a book lending service for secondhand books through two subscription options: a 3USD monthly fee for one book or the "bookworm" package at 5USD per month, which includes three books along with complimentary coffee during visits to the shop.”

Subscribers of Hadi Yahya’s Bookstore read in the shop’s designated space before enjoying home-made snacks and coffee.

“Lending books instead of selling them helps building a community and simplifies operations, reducing transaction and inventory complexities,” says Yahya.

“Our initiative resonates with our reading-loving community, responding to their diverse literary interests. Our future includes establishing an NGO to formalize and grow our book collection through donations, ensuring sustainability.”

Hadi Yahya stands in his bookstore along his brother (left) tending to a few of the shop’s subscribers.

“Initially, we faced challenges in acquiring and renovating our store from scratch, as well as managing our book inventory efficiently while developing a sustainable, cost-effective business model,” he says. “In addition to our lending service, we run "Laugh and Learn" workshops for children and host book launch evenings to foster a vibrant literary community.

Customers glancing through the books at Hadi Yahya's bookstore

“Local literary resources are scarce, leading many to buy books for reading,” Yahya says. “Our subscribers are typically recent graduates and couples seeking a cozy reading environment. Reading preferences vary widely, from economics to poetry and novels. Our space aims for a homely, inspiring atmosphere.Teenagers are keen on self-help books, a trend we're adapting to by expanding our collection.We're grateful for book donations from institutions and private donors, which help us grow our offerings.”

About EMDAD

Young entrepreneurs from 18 social and solidarity economy entities (SSEs) managed to successfully launch and scale up their businesses in Lebanon, expanding their activities while improving the lives of their communities through EMDAD (Arabic for support), a one-year ILO Prospects-led initiative, supported by the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Illustrative image (internet)

Entrepreneurs, start-ups, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with social impact projects were selected through a country-wide application call in April 2023. Shortlisted entrepreneurs who passed this first step followed through the following pitching process a few months later. Here, they had the chance to describe their projects, goals and ways the support received would help them thrive and make a difference across their communities.

Through EMDAD, select projects received up to 20,000USD in the form of grants along with six months of personalized coaching sessions, technical training, and access to networking events. This eventually equipped them with the required tools and support to succeed. The full initiative ended in March 2024.

One of EMDAD’s key objective has been supporting the creation and growth of social enterprises to generate decent and tangible employment opportunities, addressing the urgent socio-economic needs the country is facing amid its ongoing multi-level crisis.

Fostering social cohesion and inclusivity was another crucial element at the core of the initiative. Engaging vulnerable Lebanese host communities and Syrian refugees through employment opportunities within their shared society proved to be a valuable step in improving individual and the community’s livelihoods.

EMDAD was implemented in collaboration with makesense Lebanon, Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo (COSV) and Research and Professional Services for the MENA Region (RPS).

Throughout the project, we documented the work of the select SSEs across Lebanon, capturing the work of several of the initiatives we supported, whose insights into their journey and impact you will find below.