“Trusted childcare is a foundation of women’s empowerment,” says Angela Solomon, CEO and co-founder of Jaleesa

It all started in 2016 when Angela’s best friend had to cancel dinner out, because her babysitter had let her down. That night, trusted childcare for parents in Lebanon was the topic that kept them talking. The issue kept resonating in Angela’s head until she translated it, with two of her friends who became co-founders, into the idea behind “Jaleesa”: an online platform for trusted childcare in Lebanon. Jaleesa was founded in 2017, and its first booking was on Angela’s birthday when a babysitter was sent to her friends’ place, so they could come to the party.

In 2018, IM Capital along with the SEEDERS – LWAF business angels’ groups, realized the importance of this platform in Lebanon, so they invested in Jaleesa in a $360k seed round, along with Dubai based women’s network womena. Thanks to this investment, Jaleesa doesn’t only solve the problem of trusted babysitting in Lebanon, but also creates job opportunities for hundreds of Lebanese women who access vetting, training and job opportunities as child carers.

Angela: “Moms, Jaleesa’s got your back! So, when times are tough, reach out. You are never alone, no matter how hard things get. Women need to be there for each other.”