In 2000, Safia Chettali aspired to become financially independent by starting her own microenterprise using her creativity and knowledge of traditional tapestry. The 20-year-old married woman from Tunisia had only attended primary school, but she would not let a lack of formal education hold her back.

When the government opened a crafts village in her hometown of Le Kef in northwest Tunisia, she saw this as her opportunity to develop her weaving skills and potentially build her business outside of her home. However, after renting a shop in the village, she realized that she needed proper training to improve her business skills and find new opportunities.

Since renting the shop, Safia has received four loans for a total value of about $8,000 and says this assistance has “enabled me to stabilize my microenterprise and plan with more confidence. The training and trade fairs have allowed me to improve my income and better manage my business with very little stress.” This confidence has helped Safia achieve increasing success in her tapestry business and the independence she always sought.

Consequently, Safia now has her own house registered in her name; her situation is unique because the male member of the family is typically the registered homeowner in Tunisia.

Although her life and her microenterprise have improved, Safia still has bigger dreams: “My ambition is to train young people in traditional weaving so they can maintain our traditions,” she says. Eventually, she also wants her products to meet international standards.

This story is also posted at One Hen: Microfinance for Kids