Former FWEN Participant Haneen Successfully Launches Business

Haneen’s business was not one of the 10 business plans that was selected to move onto the Second Phase of the FWEN program. However, she has nonetheless successfully pursued her business through her own resources and is thus supported by the FWEN program. Her profile is below.

Name: Haneen Age: 22 years old Location: Borqa village, outside of Nablus Business Plan: Pastry Shop

How did you decide to participate in FWEN? What have you gained from the program?

Haneen had a two-year degree in educational science and was a volunteer at TYO when she heard about the FWEN program from another volunteer. She wanted to become more independent and had always done baking as a hobby, so Fatima (the FWEN Program Coordinator) encouraged her to pursue this as a business.

Before participating in the FWEN program, Haneen had this idea in mind but had little initiative to move forward into action. After receiving training, she not only had the skills and knowledge necessary to create a business, but she had the strength and confidence to make it happen. She says she has become more insistent on achieving her goals and becoming successful. At first, her husband did not want her to participate in the FWEN trainings, but now that he has seen that she is taking it seriously and will soon have her own successful business, he has become supportive of her work.

What is your business plan?

Currently, Haneen makes pastries in her home and sells them around her village, but in order to create a formal business she will expand to have her own store and better cooking equipment. She will hire two employees to assist her. In addition to selling from her store, she has an agreement with the Borqa Secondary School to sell her products to students at the school.

What are your next steps? What help would you like to receive?

Haneen needs funding to get her business off the ground. As soon as she is able, she will rent a store in her village and buy the equipment she needs to expand her business.

What are your dreams for the future, and how will your business help you to achieve them?

Looking to the future, Haneen has modest goals that she will soon be able to achieve: to become a small businesswoman and to have two locations in which she will sell her products (at her store and inside the school). She says she will be happier if she is an independent woman, especially in terms of having her own income.