“I Want My Family To Be Able To Depend On Me”

I was born and raised in Manial Sheeha. I’m a 40 year old married man and my name is Naguib. I have 3 daughters and a son and I’m the sole provider for my family. I have been working as a carpenter for a long time. But, my work has always been mainly based on the orders that I receive. So when my orders diminish, my monthly income can barely meet my family’s needs. But I always managed to somehow cover my expenses. I always spared some additional sufficient capital, that helped me create a variety of furnishings to sell at my workshop. After the revolution, I lost some of my biggest clients living in the areas neighboring Manial Sheeha and I no longer became able to save any extra money. I relied solely on the down-payments my customers pay throughout the process of delivering the orders, which are never enough to satisfy the necessities of my household. I joined the economic empowerment program in the hope that I can guarantee a more secure income for my family. That is why I decided to attend the entrepreneurial workshop. I also received a loan from Gozour Foundation, in order to increase my capital and decrease my dependency on orders. The main benefit I got from the training was learning how to price my products. Before the training, I used to price the products through a rough estimate. That’s why I often found myself with deficits by the end of the month. Now, I calculate every cost thoroughly to give my customers the fairest price without wasting my money. With the loan I received, I was able to buy new carpentry equipment and tools for my business. Now I can make extra pieces and put them on display around my shop and this formed a constant source of income for me. I’m also able to take deposits from customers without facing a hard financial situation. In addition, this enabled me to gain suitable monthly revenue which allows me to fully support my family and gradually develop my business.