Business: Traditional weaver
Region: Tozeur
Native from Tozeur, a town in Southern Tunisia, Nafissa left school at the age of 13 and began her long journey in the realm of traditional weaving. She now produces a wide range of traditional woollen products such as margoums (a sort of traditional tapestry), carpets and blankets. In her craft, she uses patterns and designs that tell the long and rich history of her native region. She has the unique ability to give each motif and colour a meaning that reminds one of the ways and customs of Tozeur and of the history of the region.
   
Her know-how of weaving techniques allowed her to earn some money to lead a modest but decent life and to shelter her home from need. "I am sure I could have earned more money if I had known the real cost of my articles and if I had figured out how to escape the clutches of middle men who buy our carpets at very low prices and then sell them for a lot of money," she explains.

Two years ago, Nafissa first became a customer of enda inter-arabe and has since taken out 4 loans for a global amount of 2,000 TND. Today, she is the owner of her own micro-enterprise specialising in weaving and employs eight young girls that she has trained and mentored. She hopes to gain access to more substantial loans with repayment dates better adapted to handicraft work.