WISE Profile: Sahar Dwaikat

I do not like defeat. I cannot accept it, and until I am successful I do not stop.

-Sahar Dwaikat

Nablus born and raised, Sahar Dwaikat, 29, is one of our returning businesswomen from cycle one's Fostering Women Entrepreneurs in Nablus (FWEN) to our phase two project Women's Incubation Services for Entrepreneurs (WISE).

Sahar's company, Flyer Ad, is a Nablus based company which designs, manufactures and distributes promotional materials such as leaflets, flyers, business cards and other print advertisements. Each clients’ order is tailored to their purpose, preference and satisfaction with the consideration of the specific needs of their target audience. Flyer Ad is registered with the Nablus Chamber of Commerce and currently runs its operations out of the Tomorrow's Youth Organization center in Nablus. Though Sahar has been met with bouts of success, for the complete launch of her business 17,000 USD is still required. This will allow her to lease her own office space, buy machinery and equipment, and have the hard launch of her business.

Sahar comes from Askar village, just neighboring Askar Refugee Camp. She is the eldest of 5 siblings, and it shines in her take-charge, strong personality. She comes from a more open family considering the conservative culture in Nablus, but that does not mean she was not met with her family's apprehension when she first told them she intended to launch her own business. Because of fear of failure they suggested a more secure job for her, but she resisted being molded into the traditional model that was carved for her. Ironically, her sister and mother worried most about her while her father was her biggest supporter.

When asked the top three areas of growth she has seen in herself from the start of FWEN in 2010 until now, she answered: 1. Confidence 2. Determination 3. Improvement in English

Her advice for budding entrepreneurs is:

Every woman should be strong and independent, making their own decisions. Ultimately you are your own biggest advocate, and if you believe in yourself others will believe in you too. If you have a dream to launch your own business then work hard to make it real, without listening to those around you who have negative outlooks.

Our hats go off to Sahar for her perseverance and success. We look forward to updated you with the many milestones she achieves in the coming year with the help of WISE!

-Samin Samin is the Program Coordinator for Women’s Empowerment Programs.