Sondes Bannouri is the founder and manager of Dasri Sterile, a service company specializing in the collection, transport, treatment, and sterilization of sanitary waste. The company is based in the city of El Krib, which is located in the underserved governorate of Siliana in the north-west of Tunisia.

Ms. Bannouri holds a master’s degree in quantitative social sciences. The idea of her project took shape while she was working on her final dissertation about the green economy and professions, and her research led her to discover that the water supply in the region was partially tainted by septic waste

However, initial funding was a challenge for launching the project. As she was looking for solutions to address this issue, Ms. Bannouri applied for a grant from VNG, an international non-governmental organization, and successfully secured the necessary financing which allowed her to create Dasri Sterile in 2014.

Operational activities had to wait until 2016 due to authorization delays and the search for a suitable facility. In its initial phase, the company forged partnerships with various waste generators, both public and private, including hospitals, medical labs, and dialysis centers in the north-west region. At that time, the company’s processing capacity was 260 tons/year, and Dasri Sterile was one of four pioneering enterprises specializing in medical and septic-waste management nationally.

In early 2017, the company finalized a five-year contract with the Ministry of Health to provide sterilization services for several hospitals across Tunisia. Over the following years, Dasri Sterile’s services attracted interest from other potential public and private clients. However, the company needed to increase its processing capacity and comply with international quality and safety standards. In 2020, JOBS helped the company implement a quality and environmental management system.  

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, medical facilities needed to dispose of more hazardous waste. Dasri Sterile, which was already working at full capacity, saw demand for its services double, and needed new equipment to keep pace.

Within a few weeks after the outbreak of COVID-19, JOBS stepped in and awarded Dasri Sterile an emergency grant to fund a large disinfecting machine that can process and sterilize 100kg of waste per hour, more than quadrupling the company’s previous capacity.

With JOBS’ technical and financial support, the company sustained 23 jobs, created 31 jobs, and increased its revenue by 35%.

"Three years later, we are still reaping the benefits of JOBS' assistance. It has not only enabled our continued operation but also supported our growth during challenging times. It has been instrumental in our expansion efforts. In fact, we're in the process of scaling up our capacity for medical waste processing, and we have ambitious plans to address additional waste streams, including solvents, which currently remain unprocessed in Tunisia."
Sondes Bannouri
Founder – Dasri Sterile