Name: Samiha
MFI: Al Majmoua – Beirut, Lebanon
Impact: Samiha developed and expanded her Mouneh* production; she was able to support her husband medical treatment, pay for her daughter’s university education, serve her handicapped son’s needs and even start a business for him.
Samiha has been working from home for more than 15 years in stocking and selling Mouneh. Her cleanliness, honesty and quality have been the keys to her success and high customer demand. In an effort to develop her business, Samiha took two consecutive loans from Al Majmoua totaling to $2,500 since 2009. She invested the bulk of the amount in buying modern equipment such as a rose distillatory and fruit squeezers, considerably enhancing her productivity. She also increased her supply and diversified her production; currently, Samiha offers herbal distillates, rose water, natural juices, confectionery, home-made desserts, pickles, herbs, spices and scents.
In developing her business as such, Samiha was able to generate more revenue and improve her family’s living conditions. Though her daughter helps her in production, she insisted on educating her up to university level. She has also supported her unwaged husband’s medical treatment and better served her handicapped son’s needs. She even opened up a small shop for her son where he is selling perfumery and prepaid mobile recharges.
In the future, Samiha plans to open up a Mouneh store in her town where she can continuously display her products. A winner of the Citigroup Micro-Entrepreneurship Award (CMA) for 2011, Samiha is a competent woman, capable of achieving her business objectives.
* Mouneh is the tradition of storing food and preserving it in jars to be consumed throughout the year; the activity remains popular in villages of Lebanon and the Levant.
