Support Female Entrepreneurs in Palestine

My name is Sumood Jamlan, I am from Aseera village outside of Nablus, and I have a business called Shal. I make embroidered bags, shawls, and accessories and sell those both online and in exhibitions primarily to young women. I started making embroidered products in 2010, but at that time it was merely a hobby. It wasn’t until I joined TYO’s business development project in 2012 that I learned there were steps I could take to turn my hobby into a profitable business. TYO put me on my path to run the successful business that I have today.

Three years later in 2015, TYO’s Outreach Coordinator called me and invited me to attend another project. I jumped at the opportunity as I wanted to improve my business management and marketing skills. I have benefitted from TYO’s programming in countless ways! I used to have a very difficult time with budgeting and keeping all of my financial records in order. TYO’s main project partner, the Small Enterprise Center provided me with the skills and tools I needed to keep more precise and accurate records of all of my labor costs, expenditures, and profit. Before I joined TYO’s most recent project I had been very depressed—the political tension in the country was heightened, I was seldom leaving my home, and my business had essentially come to a screeching halt. Joining TYO’s business development project gave me new energy. Most of all, it helped me learn how to refine my budgeting and bookkeeping skills and how to find my customer base. I’m also really looking forward to advancing my marketing skills at the upcoming Branding and Marketing training.

In the past year, I have participated in five exhibitions—one with the Ministry of Tourism, one with the Nablus municipality, and three with the Ministry of Tourism in Jericho, Birzeit University, and Sebastia. Earlier this year, I went to the Paltel Group Foundation headquarters in Ramallah, showed them my products, and told them if they needed any large orders to contact me. A few months later, Paltel contacted me and asked me to make 158 shawls for all of their employees for Mother’s Day. This experience taught me how to handle stress, how to manage employees (as I had to hire people to complete the order), and how to meet tight deadlines. Not only did I meet the deadline and provide Paltel with all 158 shawls, but I also established a business relationship with Paltel and will continue to work with them in the future.

I highly recommend this project to upcoming entrepreneurs. If someone is just looking for money TYO is not the organization for them. But if they are looking to work hard, improve their skills, and reap the benefits of their hard work then TYO will be a perfect fit!

Links:

• TYO's Women's Empowerment Programs