SMALL GRANTS STORIES : Woodart

COVID-19 Response / Articles / 15-04-2022

"Do you see the pile of olive wood behind me? High-quality Tunisian olive wood is becoming rarer. Many people don’t understand its value. Since 2011, I have been harvesting olive wood, which I use to create artisanal kitchenware products. I sell these products in Europe and North America, where demand is higher. I lack a specialized workforce to shape these products, however, so I am often forced to outsource the business.

A grant from the US government’s COVID-19 Enterprise Recovery Fund, through the USAID Tunisia JOBS project, helped me train three new employees in woodworking and purchase raw materials. The support helped my company recover from a loss of business in 2020 and perform well the following year. The economic crisis is still taking its toll on us, but we are holding on!"

Saber Belltaief - Founder of Woodart

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