In the Spotlight: Some enterprising women entrepreneurs from Libya
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In Libya fondly called “Land of the Setting Sun”, women have long played a pivotal role in shaping the country’s development – as educators, healthcare workers, innovators & changemakers. And, they have forged ahead – stepping into the entrepreneurial arena, using their creativity and determination to solve pressing community challenges & rebuild their nation.
Libyan women entrepreneurs are venturing into sectors like – home nursing, vocational training, and handicrafts, bringing much-needed services to their communities despite living in a climate of ongoing conflict, social restrictions, and economic instability. Quite importantly, their work is not only about running businesses – it is about restoring dignity, independence, and opportunity for women across the country.
Women Entrepreneurs are Leading Libya’s Reconstruction Journey
The path is far from easy. Deep-rooted cultural norms, restricted mobility & the need to constantly prove their credibility create significant obstacles. Access to finance remains a major challenge. This often forces many women to rely on small-scale operations or personal savings to fund their ventures.
Yet, these women persist. Some have re-launched businesses after being displaced by conflict, while others are innovating to meet new needs – from vocational training centers to community-based projects that generate income and skills for others.
These women are not just entrepreneurs – they are rebuilding Libya’s economy and reshaping its future, one enterprise at a time.
Let us now take a look at some enterprising women entrepreneurs from Libya.
- Khadija Al-Majdoub, Owner, Tamouh Women’s Company
Khadija Al-Majdoub is an electronics engineer who is the Director &Founder of Tamouh Women’s Company, which was started in 2020 – by offering phone and computer repair services from home. This was the first of its kind in Libya founded by and exclusively for women. It addresses privacy concerns for women who are hesitant to give their devices to men for repair.
She passed from engineering to entrepreneurship. After her graduation, she enrolled in a mobile phone repairing training course, organized by UNICEF, where she met her colleagues who shared the same passion. So, after the training course, they formed the “Tamouh” team and participated in competitions and secured second place in one of these competitions in 2019. They started working from home in 2020, providing repair services to our relatives and friends, who helped to market their services. In 2021, they started their business on social media, where they posted videos of their services, which attracted clients from all over Libya.
The team gradually expanded the business, forming a marketing team in the southern regions. In 2023, the team began to sell devices, offering discounts for university students. “Tamouh Women’s Company,” is a success story that strengthens women to enter all sectors, including those dominated by men.
- Jamela Basher, Founder of Al-Jameelah
Jamela Basher is a passionate fashion designer from Ubari, Libya, who dreamt of empowering women through her craft. It was in 2018, she founded Al-Jameelah – a tailoring & training company. This started small with just two sewing machines and unwavering determination.
Overcoming financial hurdles and relying on her talent and resilience, she gradually grew her team and business. Al-Jameelah’s unique designs, blending tradition with contemporary flair, not only created high-quality garments but also employment opportunities for women in Ubari. Selected for the UNDP’s TEC+ program, she received the support and network needed to further propel her success.
She was the winner of TEC+ business accelerator competition in 2023. The selected team was to receive funding and investment opportunities as part of the TEC+ Accelerator, which aims to empower Libyan startups.
Today, she aims to become a leading fashion house in Libya and beyond. Her story is living proof to the power of ambition and hard work.
- Ahlam Zoghbia & Majdoline Bakkah: Co-founders of Naturelle
Ahlam Zoghbia and Majdoline Bakkah are the Co-founders of Naturelle, which is a company they started to create their own skin-care products, in response to their own sensitive skin conditions and the need for natural remedies for rosacea.
Their business grew out of a need to create their own cosmetic products for sensitive skin and rosacea, and they produce their own line of skincare products.
Their entrepreneurial venture was recognized when they won the award for Best Female Entrepreneurship at the Libyan Startup Expo 2018.
- Fatima Nasser & Azeez Adam, Co-founders of Yummy
Fatima Nasser and Azeez Adam are the Co-founders of Yummy, a food delivery app that is helping change gender equality in Libya.
Meanwhile, Fatima Nasser is the brains behind the food delivery app Yummy, which was born after she won the Enjazi Startup Competition. The app was launched after Fatima and her business partner, Aziza Adam, noticed that many women were delivering their own home-cooked meals, in order to make a living, after the financial crisis. However, they found it hard to raise decent profits, due to the lack of monitoring, marketing, or any kind of management.
Today, Yummy links these women to customers, working as an effective marketing tool, offering an ordering system, and even handling the delivery by connecting drivers. The feedback tool for customers also gives each chef the chance to improve their cooking skills.
The app hasn’t been without its hiccups. Once, she decided to organize neutral meeting points for its delivery drivers to meet customers; and orders are also solely handled over the phone, due to the country’s regular blackouts which cause internet outages. Now, however, Yummy operates across Tripoli, Benghazi, and Sebha, connecting over 400 cooks and drivers with clients.
- Inas El’Bahri, Founder, Mozart Catering
Inas El’Bahri started a business in her home, creating cakes that look more like works of art! But she also had to overcome hiring difficulties. As her business expanded, she had to hire foreign workers because Libyans were reluctant to join her private enterprise for fear of job insecurity. Now 20% of her employees are Libyan.
Her company began in her modest kitchen but with demand for her cakes increasing every day. Soon, she was able to rent an external location. Her entrepreneurial effort has resulted in an impressive growth of her company.
However, the road has not always been easy and she faced a lot of problems in finding staff. But, on a positive note, Mozart Catering continues to go from strength to strength and is one of the few private enterprises that has succeeded in growing beyond a street-corner image.
Shree Lahiri
Avtar Madan
Himanshu
