AfDB NEWS & EVENTS
Known under the name of Cilium under the Roman Empire, Kasserine is a city with a singular heritage. A city located in the center-west of Tunisia where, through the generations, a craftsmanship that has made its reputation endure.
Najet Salhi is from Kasserine. Seated, determinedly, she holds two tufts of esparto in her hands. Used since the 19 th century, this fibrous plant must be handled with care. Cut, dried then braided, the material is transformed into baskets and containers of all shapes. It is labor that can take hours to get to the finished product. “Before, we prepared the esparto and sold it as is to the paper mill,” recalls Najet.
“Today, we harvest it and make artisanal products that we sell. Our income has increased and preparation seems less difficult, ”she explains. This craftswoman is one of the women who have benefited from specialized training. Made in three workshops in the city, most of their production is sold in the capital, Tunis.
A few years ago, an artisanal cooperative based in Kasserine was born: “Zazia Artisanat”.
Its founder, Taoufik Saudi, funded it with a grant from the Souk At-tanmia program. This entrepreneurship support initiative, endowed with approximately 8 million euros, was launched in 2012 by the African Development Bank with around 20 partners. Taoufik, himself from Kasserine, graduated from a business school. After studying in Japan, he returned to his native region. “I didn't have a lot of money at the start,” he says. I started with a small project but persevered. Souk At-tanmia is a good system because it combines financial assistance and technical support. It helped me start my project ”. The cooperative ended up creating around 20 jobs.
In order to support entrepreneurship, the Souk At-tanmia program finances entrepreneurs with seed grants of between 5,000 and 15,000 US dollars. Particular attention is given to businesses led by women and young people in the so-called “priority” regions of Tunisia, in particular Gafsa, Medenine, Tataouine, Sidi Bouzid, Kairouan, Seliana, Kasserine, Kef and Jendouba.
In Nabeul, more than 200 kilometers northeast of Kasserine, Emna Ben Mustapha, in his thirties, is busy on his aquaculture farm. Her work is a goldsmith's work: she prepares, in absolute silence, capsules, powder and glitter, all based on spirulina. This micro-algae is renowned for its antioxidant, nutritional and purifying benefits. Emna took the opportunity to serve a growing demand for organic and “ healthy” products . After a master's degree in marine biology, she founded with her husband Bilel, a spirulina production unit, AquaSpir. "It is an algae with a thousand virtues: iron, magnesium, calcium and vitamins (...) one of the richest foods there is," she explains.
Equipped with a dozen culture tanks, AquaSpir produces 1.2 tonnes of spirulina per year and employs six people full time. For more efficiency and quality, Emna has even installed photovoltaic panels and only uses water from the well. Its products, previously sold through intermediaries, are now marketed under its own brand in drugstores and specialized chains. “We were focused on the French market,” she explains. Thanks to the funding and support from Souk At-tanmia, we have been able to expand internationally to other countries such as Italy, Yemen and Pakistan. We plan to increase production to two tonnes per year, increasing our workforce to ten employees. "
Like a majority of Tunisian entrepreneurs, Emna and Taoufik are today threatened by the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic. According to a survey conducted by the program, beneficiary companies show, on average, a drop of about 60% of their turnover, and half of their jobs are threatened. In this context, Souk At-tanmia, supported by its British, American and Danish partners, has deployed a new financial and technical support system to preserve these companies and facilitate the resumption or continuation of their activities. It is about protecting jobs, securing income and initiating, in partnership with the “Africa vs Virus Challenge” initiative, retraining through innovation. Because each crisis generates new opportunities to be seized.
Since its launch, the Souk At-tanmia program has enabled the emergence of 250 new businesses and created more than 2,000 jobs in industry, services, agriculture, renewable energies, crafts and tourism. Almost two thirds of the structures are managed by young people, more than a third by women. More than 60% of entrepreneurs come from priority regions of Tunisia.
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