The United States Ambassador to Tunisia met beneficiaries of the Mashrou3i Project for the southern regions of the country on Monday 27th November in Djerba.
During a visit to southern Tunisia, the United States Ambassador M. Daniel H. Rubinstein, accompanied by members of his team and representatives of USAID (United States Agency for International Development), met with beneficiaries of Mashrou3i, a program organized by UNIDO and funded by USAID, the Italian Cooperation and the HP Foundation.
Several topics centered around entrepreneurship and youth employment were discussed at the event, which was also attended by the Governor of Medenine, Mr. Habib Chouat, as well as several representatives of regional institutions and partners of the program. The exchanges between the US Ambassador, the Governor of Medenine and young entrepreneurs from southern Tunisia focused on the activities carried out within the framework of their projects, the challenges encountered during the creation and development of their start-ups, as well as the assistance and support received through the Mashrou3i Project.
Based in Medenine, Kebili, Gabes, Tataouine and Tozeur, the Tunisian Government’s prioritized regions for development, the beneficiary start-up entrepreneurs shared their experiences with the United States Ambassador and USAID representatives, especially their passion in their area of expertise and the challenges they faced when entering the world of entrepreneurship.
Among the beneficiary start-up entrepreneurs was Lobna Werghemmi, a young woman who successfully launched a wood-furniture production unit in Ben Guerdane in May 2017. Despite the cultural barriers and difficulties she encountered, she now employs 6 technicians including 3 women. Today her company has a promising future, with plans to grow by diversifying her production and accessing international markets.
The Ambassador of the United States and the Governor of Medenine were impressed by the motivation of the young entrepreneurs and business leaders. The Mashrou3i program will continue to help create businesses on a daily basis and ensure their sustainability and long-term viability, through the 3 components of the program; the HP LIFE e-Learning platform which promotes the reinforcement of entrepreneurial skills; the coaching and support of aspiring entrepreneurs in the development, launch and running of their businesses; and the strengthening of existing companies through personalized and specific technical assistance for their entrepreneurial activities.
