PNB Steering Committee members and members-at-large are encouraged to incubate their own projects, often in partnership with other PNB members and local organizations, within PNB countries of operation. Whereas PNB projects include those that are locally driven by the PNB Local Chapters, PNB Affiliate Projects include those projects that are led by PNB partners and their affiliates, while keeping in line with PNB’s objectives to promote economic opportunity, foster cooperation in science and technology, and scale-up and deepen education and cultural exchanges between the U.S. and local communities abroad.

Egypt

• Egypt Loan Guarantee Facility: Under the leadership of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), standing up a Loan Guarantee Fund (LGF) that will build off the successful model which was used in the West Bank/Gaza (MEII). This is a publicprivate mechanism that can expand lending to SMEs in Egypt by guaranteeing 70% of each approved loan to Egyptian businesses.
• Tahrir Square Dialogues: The American University in Cairo has fashioned a proposal in which their institute would provide a safe place to gather, discuss new ideas and keep the reform agenda alive. These Tahrir Square dialogues will provide a space to convene and discuss important issues facing Egyptians as they grapple with the transition to democratic rule. Topics to be discussed in the dialogue series include “Managing the Transition”, “Restarting Competitive Politics” and “Constitution Reform”. We are working to find support for this project.
• Infrastructure Investment in Egypt: Morgan Stanley is committed to continue working with Orascom, a local partner in Egypt, in an effort to invest client capital across the Middle East and North Africa. This partnership is looking to invest in longterm infrastructure projects that will build better roads, provide more access to water, improve communications networks and ultimately help the people of the region grow their businesses, create jobs and deepen connections with the global economy.
• Supporting the Democratic Transition in Egypt: The Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) looks to support the democratic transition through their Peacebuilding Program and an exploratory effort to support the forces for democracy and economic reform in Egypt. The Peacebuilding Program supports efforts to transform conflict and advance just and durable peace, with a budget of $2.8 million for 2011. In addition, the RBF is requesting board approval for a multi-year commitment to support Egyptian civil society organizations working to ensure a successful transition to democratic governance.
• Science Scholarship: In celebration of the 2011 U.S.-Egypt Science Year, Coca-Cola Egypt has joined the U.S. Embassy in supporting scholarships for 10 Egyptians to participate in a month-long science camp at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. Egypt Livelihood Program: Building on the Coca-Cola system’s existing community program in
  Egypt – the Egypt Livelihood Program – the Company has committed to work in partnership with the Egypt Food Bank to develop 100 villages by 2020 with an average annual investment from the system of $400,000. In addition to the infrastructure investments already being made in these villages, the Coca-Cola system will partner with the Al Tadamun foundation and the nongovernmental organization Sonna al Hayah to offer micro-loans to women in the villages where Coca-Cola and the Food Bank currently operate. This project may expand through PNB when the local chapter is officially formed.

Indonesia

• Access to Education: ExxonMobil has committed to expand access to education and leadership opportunities in Indonesia, with a focus on the country’s youth. In partnership with the Sampoerna Foundation, ExxonMobil has committed $3 million over the next 3 years to support long-term, high-impact programs to reach young people who need it most. The programs are designed to educate future leaders and position them to make a positive impact on the future of Indonesia Vocational Training Scholarship Program: Coca-Cola’s scholarship program, (funded through The Coca-Cola Indonesia Foundation) provides financial assistance and life skills training for undergraduate students. More than 80 students have received scholarships since 2007, and the program will expand through PNB to include vocational training for 25 additional students in 2011.

Morocco

• Education for Employment–Intel MOU: Education for Employment and Intel are partnering to dramatically expand EFE’s precedence in the Maghreb with added focus to the youth employment in the Moroccan IT sector.
• Date Tree Planting and Economic Empowerment Initiative: Together with the NGO ALCESDAM (Association de Lutte Contre la Desertification au Maroc/The Association for the Fight Against Desertification in Morocco) The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation and three Coca-Cola bottling partners, Coca-Cola Morocco is planting tens of thousands of date palms trees which will cover more than 150 acres in Touzounine, Morocco. This project highlights the link between creating economic opportunity and preserving the environment. Each date palm will provide more than 110 pounds of dates that will be sold in village cooperatives. After five years, additional fruit and animal feed crops will be planted in the palms’ shade, providing further income to local communities. This project began in January 2011 and is expected to impact more than
  10,000 people.

Palestinian Territories

• Sadara Ventures: PNB Steering Committee Member Jean Case, CEO of the Case Foundation, has committed to advancing the technology sector in the Palestinian Territories, including making a significant personal investment, with her husband Steve Case, in Sadara Ventures, which launched in March with $28.7M from leading international companies including Cisco, Google, The Soros Economic Development Fund, Skoll Foundation, and the European Investment Bank, among others. Sadara will invest in 12 startup companies in the Internet, mobile and software sectors created by ICT entrepreneurs in the West Bank, creating direct and indirect jobs.
• University Partnerships Initiative: In partnership with the Telos group, the Aspen Institute’s U.S. Palestinian Partnership and PNB Steering Committee Member, the Case Foundation, lead a delegation to the West Bank focused on University Partnerships, Technology and Entrepreneurship. The model will be used in future delegations to key Maghreb countries via PNB-NAPEO.
• Bidaya: An Intensive Incubation Program to be operated by the Palestine ICT Incubator (PICTI) for selected entrepreneurs, the Bidaya Program will focus on local Palestinian professionals that would like to start their high-growth entrepreneurial ventures in Palestine. Through the program, selected teams receive mentorship, capital funding, infrastructure, and the knowledge required to build and operate their own start-ups. Upon completion of the program, teams will have the opportunity to meet with early stage “angel” and venture capital investors to present their ideas and demonstrate their products. This program has been supported by Cisco, in partnership with USAID.
• Bethlehem University–University of Houston Partnership: A University Partnership has been facilitated between the Conrad Hilton College at the University of Houston and the Bethlehem University School of Hospitality. It includes virtual student exchange, assistance in curriculum, job placement and online training. After participation in the March 2011 University Partnerships Delegation to the West Bank, the two parties are seeking to expand the partnership further.
• Face to Faith: In June 2011 the Tony Blair Faith Foundation (TBFF) signed an MOU with the Palestinian Ministry of Education to train 200 Palestinian teachers over the next two years as part of the foundation’s global education program, Face to Faith. The agreement between the Ministry and TBFF brings the total number of Palestinian schools implementing the program to over 100. Through their involvement in Face to Faith, young Palestinian students are now able to link up directly with peers in 16 other countries around the world, exploring different perspectives and beliefs and celebrating the commonalities of human experience.
• tankeem.net: Focused on capacity building of Palestinian Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) companies in the software development field. The program will run 6 to 12 months and will focus on preparing software companies to compete in the global economy. A holistic approach building companies capacity from CEO to team leads and project managers. Program includes business, marketing, HR, and leadership workshops and training as well as meetings with business leaders, and VCs presenting today’s trends and topics. The participants will bring real-world issues for discussion and receive an individual and group coaching throughout the program duration. The program will build upon the outsourcing partnerships and processes that Cisco has already implemented in the Palestinian Territories.
• Connecting Youth Development Resource Centers: In partnership with USAID, Craig Newmark, and Inveneo, Cisco is supporting a program designed to connect Youth Development Resource Centers, youth clubs, and schools to the Internet. Including providing Wi-Fi connectivity to campuses, while building capacity of local companies. Cisco brings expertise and Inveneo brings know how in designing and implementing low cost and low power Wi-Fi connectivity in urban and rural areas. Inveneo will work with selected local companies to build their capacity through the implementation.
• Capacity Building for Palestinian ICT Companies: Capacity building of Palestinian Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) companies in the software industry. Companies will participate in business and leadership workshops with business leaders and VCs for individual and group coaching. This program builds upon the Outsourcing partnerships and processes already implemented by Cisco.

Tunisia

• Loan Guarantee Fund: Under the leadership of OPIC, the local advisory board and PNB-NAPEO are working to stand up a Loan Guarantee Fund (LGF) that will build off the successful model which was used in the West Bank/Gaza (MEII). This is a public-private mechanism that can expand lending to SMEs in Tunisia by guaranteeing 70% of each approved loan to Tunisian businesses. (To prevent moral hazard, this is done blindly and the recipient does not know.)

Turkey

• Heritage as a Bridge: Brown University is looking to partner with Koc University and other Turkish partners to facilitate connections between professionals working in the tourism/heritage sites industry. The objective of this dialogue is not only to empower local communities to safeguard heritage sites; the project also aims to use Heritage sites as a platform for teaching STEM education to Turkish students.

United States

• Interfaith Leaders in Atlanta: The Interfaith Youth Core and The Coca-Cola Company are partnering to train and network a core group of student leaders in Atlanta and the southeast U.S. region over the next year. The partnership will train and equip more than 100 interfaith leaders to bring together thousands of peers from diverse faiths in community service projects. The initiative leverages the momentum of the President’s Interfaith and Community Service Campus Challenge, a project that invites institutions of higher education to commit to a year of interfaith cooperation and community service programming on campus, to spark a movement of interfaith leaders increasing mutual understanding.