Microfinance True Stories: Turning Mouneh to Moolah

By: Al Majmoua

Bahiya, a mouneh (a style of Lebanese food preservation) manufacturer, is from Aley, Mount Lebanon. In 2000, Bahiya started stocking mouneh and selling it to neighbors to contribute to her household expenses. Five years later, her husband stopped working, making her the only provider in their family of nine, including his five and their two children.

In 2007, Bahiya applied for a loan from Al Majmoua, where she received her first group loan of $300. She continued to borrow loans between $600 and $1,000 on a yearly basis and used the loans to improve her business, resulting in a significant growth in her activity.

She was eventually able to open a mouneh shop of her own and recruited three women as employees. “I am very proud of my achievement and I am keen on accomplishing more,” Bahiya says. “I am thankful to Al Majmoua’s support which has contributed to my success as a businesswoman and helped me provide a good standard of living for my family.”