ASRA is a 20 year old living in a small village in Nablus. Asra’ completed her primary education and was married shortly after and now has 1 child.
Before taking a loan Asra’ worked in farming and had 4 sheep. She heard about Asala from another women who had taken a loan from her village and in September 2013, Asra’ applied for a loan of 2,000 USD to buy 3 sheep and expand her project.
She markets her products through other dealers. Difficulties she faces with her project include receiving unfair prices for the sheep. Asala’s monthly consultancy visits help her keep her project running smoothly.
In addition to her husband and family’s encouragement and support, she plans on becoming a successful entrepreneur and a leader in her village. Today she feels satisfied and proud to own her own project and have a stable income.
Fawzia lives in a house composed of two rooms with her husband and her parents in-law. She reached secondary school but was unable to finish due to her family’s difficult economic situation.
She works with her husband in farming land, She also has her own income generating project, making feather dusters. For Fawzia, her project is a great way to do something entertaining and generate an income at the same time.
Fawzia first came to Asala to take a loan of 1,000 USD to establish her project and begin making feather dusters, a skill she learned from her neighbor. She bought ostrich feathers from a wholesaler and after noticing an improvement in her income and sales, she decided to apply for a second loan for 2,000 USD to purchase a larger quantity of raw material to increase her profit margin and decrease cost of production.
Fawzia hopes to be able to produce more in a day and sell in the city and to other provinces as well. This project is Fawzia’s first project and it has made her happy to have her own work and especially that it is something she enjoys doing. With the income she makes she is able to improve her family’s quality of life.