Khadija, a single mother, has expanded her clothes shop to include sewing machines so that she can make alterations for her customers.
Her village of Haris, in the West Bank, only had one clothing store. When she overheard people in her community talk about the need for variety, Khadija responded by raising the capital for a new clothing business with her brother. But she soon saw an opportunity to expand.
“I noticed most of the women who come to buy from my shop also need their clothes altered,” she said. “I realized that a sewing machine would give me a competitive advantage in the market.”
Khadija participated in NEF’s program – creating a business plan to grow her business and successfully securing a start-up grant for expansion.
“Having your own business is not only about money,” she says. “It is also about achieving your social, psychological, and financial independence. My business makes me feel that I’m an active and useful person in this community.”
NEF is supporting disadvantaged women in Palestine and Jordan to create businesses and achieve economic security. Each year NEF provides 250 women with training and coaching to build business management and leadership skills and helps them access start-up funding. With this support, they are able to earn money, lead change in their communities, and break the cycle of poverty to create better lives for their families.
http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/empower-women-entrepreneurs-in-jordan-palestine/
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