"My husband and I both graduated from university -- me with a degree in economics and him with a degree in physics -- but we were unable to find work after graduation. To make a living, my husband began collecting plastic waste from disposal sites and selling it to recycling factories at very low prices. By doing this, he met other local plastic collectors and realized that many had to carry large loads of plastic waste long distances to recycle them. This gave us the idea to start our own recycling workshop to convert plastic waste into plastic pellets for sale in Tunisia and abroad. 

Our project inspired many local youth, who rushed to help us and join our collection chain. My husband's technical skills helped us determine how to utilize the material and navigate restrictions in the recycling industry. We aim to take the project as far as possible. We considered it our baby, even naming it after our oldest daughter, Qods!  

However, the COVID-19 crisis was very hard on us. Due to the government-imposed lockdown at the beginning of the pandemic, we lost a major client and almost went out of business. Many of our competitors in the industry, meanwhile, did shut down. Despite the difficulties, we managed to hold on and keep our business open, as it was the only source of income for our family. Today, I am proud that we survived the crisis without selling anything. 

USAID Tunisia JOBS first reached out to offer us technical assistance. Subsequently, we applied for a grant under the COVID-19 Enterprise Recovery Fund established by the US government to fund raw materials and new electrical components for our machinery to improve our production capacity. With this support, we can now expand our business."  

Souad Hedfi, - Qods Recycling - Hajeb Laayoun