Personal Info
- Country of residence: Palestine
Information
Fatima al-Jada from the West Bank village of Habla established her business at home with a gift — a sewing machine — from her father in 1987.
She learned how to sew after economic circumstances forced her to leave middle school. Once she began making clothes at home, her father encouraged her to learn to drive and sell her products around the West Bank.
By 1990, al-Jada had expanded beyond home and started a factory in a rented building, which she called Al Hanna Textiles.
Today, she employs about 160 people, mostly women, at six sewing facilities in Qalqiliya and other West Bank locations.
Al-Jada said she encountered no social barriers to her business because she is a woman and employs mostly women. But she has faced other challenges, which she has met with patience and resilience, the dedication of her workers and some help from the government.
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Achievements and Awards
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