UNDP Istanbul International Center for Private Sector in Development (IICPSD), funded by its partner the HP Foundation, organized a 2-day HP LIFE training in Mexico for ProSociedad.

Entrepreneurship plays a critical role in addressing development challenges and accelerating economic growth in any country and region around the globe. The United Nations 2030 Agenda emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurship for achieving inclusive and sustainable development. Thanks to the implementation of creative solutions that go beyond current market offerings, entrepreneurs can create additional value in the production of goods and services. Mexico is one of the countries that offer opportunities for entrepreneurs. Although its entrepreneurship environment was affected negatively during the pandemic[1], Mexico still offers potential and an opportunity to increase entrepreneurship. In 2020, for example, entrepreneurs responded more proactively than the government to the effects of COVID-19 with almost 70% and 30%, respectively.[2] Moreover, women and youth are offering a great opportunity to enhance the entrepreneurial activity in the country. Female entrepreneurship is improving in Mexico and women are at least nine-tenths as active as men in terms of starting their own businesses.[3] However, unlocking the potential of entrepreneurship requires dedicated skills development to enable entrepreneurs to start, manage, and sustain their business most successfully. ProSociedad, a Mexico-based development agency, recognizes this need and, in collaboration with UN Women, aims to reach more than 5000 women through the HP LIFE Center.

Furthermore, UNDP IICPSD and the HP Foundation acknowledge this need as well and are collaborating to enhance entrepreneurial skills through localizing HP LIFE. HP LIFE is the HP Foundation’s free global IT and business skills-training program. It is accessible online, offline, and in person offering more than 30 courses in eight languages for entrepreneurs, business owners, and lifelong learners all over the world. It is also an adaptable educational resource used on the ground by trainers, educators, and mentors to enrich curricula, support business creation, and improve employability skills.

Taking the opportunity to support entrepreneurial skills development, UNDP IICPSD, in collaboration with ProSociedad, organized a two-day HP LIFE training. The training will support ProSociedad staff to integrate HP LIFE in their entrepreneurial and 21^st century skills development programmes and in their curricula. Through this, HP LIFE will empower women, youth and other underserved populations. In the long run, UNDP IICPSD and ProSociedad will reach approximately 1,500 people through HP LIFE.

ProSociedad’s a decade of experience and expertise in sustainable development offer opportunities to unlock the entrepreneurial potential in Mexico. Moreover, its outreach capacity provides a unique opportunity to expand HP LIFE experience and contribute to entrepreneurial and 21^st century skills development in Mexico.

HP LIFE training aimed to certify new trainers into the HP LIFE outreach network and equip them with the necessary skills on how to conduct the training in a smart and efficient way. It provides tools for trainers to use HP LIFE as a supplement curriculum for their organization. The training session was carried out by an innovative group of internationally certified HP LIFE Master Trainers. In addition, the training involves unique learning techniques that the HP LIFE Master Trainers have developed over the past two decades.

[1] Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. 2021.

[2] Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. 2021.

[3] Global Entrepreneurship Monitor. 2020.