Working in a male-dominated field has never scared me. Ever since I graduated from university with a degree in civil engineering, I have worked alongside men in design offices and on construction sites. In 2019, I began to sell custom iron products in Jendouba. Later, I invested in a machine to shape the iron myself, making me the only such supplier in the region. My business was heading in the right direction before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which forced us to close for three months and move out of our facility. 

I read an article about the COVID-19 Enterprise Recovery Fund established by the U.S. government through USAID Tunisia JOBS, and I applied for grant funds to purchase a new machine to help me expand my business and meet increasing customer demand. I dream of expanding my business. To do so, I would like to invest in a larger factory where I can employ 10 people and install more machines.

Nejla Zaiani - Façonnage Fer Jendouba