At the age of 25, Asmaa is an expert in cosmetics, a business owner, a mother of two and a family breadwinner.
Updated 13 Nov 2022
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Dream sometimes come true.
A lifelong dream
It’s with pride and confidence that she shares her own story - a story of dreaming big and achieving even bigger: “I’m a person who had big dreams in life”
Asmaa started making soap bars at home along with her mother and sister when her father got ill as a mean of income. “At that time, I was only 8 years old. 17 years ago, I had a dream to open this shop and to be known in this field and excel.”
She has met the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) team for the first time three years ago, where she participated in the work-based learning component of an economic recovery project funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) in Tripoli, North of Lebanon. After receiving career counseling sessions with DRC team, she was enrolled in an internship at a health dispensary for three months.
Expanding her own business
During her internship Asmaa learnt about the LINKED program – an economic recovery program funded by the European Union in Lebanon that DRC is a member of. At that time she was launching her own cosmetics shop, producing 100% natural cosmetic products and she applied for the program.
After successfully completing the process, including the development and pitching of a business plan and attending training sessions, she’s received the grant few months ago. This allowed her to expand her business and procure skincare tools introducing a new service that she’s always wanted to have.
New interns through DRC
In addition to that, Asmaa has established a delivery company and is now able to dispatch her products to new areas on demand. She has also conceived her own perfume “Gharam” which means “love” in Arabic.
Apart of expanding her own business, Asmaa is keen on training and supporting other people. After being enrolled in the WBL component herself, she is now receiving interns through DRC under the LINKED program.
Asmaa’s trainees are currently supporting with delivery services, marketing and branding work. Her business is now a source of income for a number of families including her own, Asmaa shares happily.
“I want to teach them how to run a business, how to deal with customers and work in marketing.”
Asmaa
About LINKED
LINKED Consortium is a multi-stakeholder partnership between four NGOs (Al Majmoua, the Danish Refugee Council, Mercy Corps and Oxfam), funded by the European Union. The Consortium aims at contributing to sustainable economic development of vulnerable job seekers, Syrian refugees and Lebanese host communities in Lebanon and strengthening the resilience of MSMEs affected by the Beirut blast.
