Hiba Khdair | Om Habeeb: Rising from the Ashes
Om Habeeb: Rising from the Ashes
Hiba Khdair
Om Habeeb’s small plant grew, employing two workers to collect, wash, dry, crush, and package plastic waste. She also created a network of suppliers to source plastic for her plant.
Om Habeeb: Rising from the Ashes
A Story of Perseverance and Success in Plastic Recycling
Hiba’s Journey in Plastic Recycling
Hiba, known as Om Habeeb, turned her passion for the environment into a successful plastic recycling business. In 2012, with her husband’s support, she invested $3,000 in a Plastic Crusher Machine. This machine crushed plastic into small pellets sold to factories manufacturing plastic products like chairs and irrigation screws.
Building the Business
Om Habeeb’s small plant grew, employing two workers to collect, wash, dry, crush, and package plastic waste. She also created a network of suppliers to source plastic for her plant.
Overcoming Adversity
In April 2020, an electrical fault caused a fire that destroyed her plant. Despite losing almost everything, Om Habeeb and her team persisted, reopening the plant by renting larger land and borrowing $3,000 to cover electricity costs. This setback highlighted her need for more business skills.
Support from TYO and WED Project
Om Habeeb discovered Tomorrow’s Youth Organization’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Development (WED) Project, funded by USAID. The program provided:
- A safe business environment (Innovation Hub) at TYO.
- Hands-on entrepreneurship training for planning, strategizing, and launching start-ups.
- Seed funding for promising businesses and ongoing coaching, mentorship, and business incubation support.
- Targeted workshops and mentorship to increase employability.
Growth and Expansion
Through the WED Project, Om Habeeb gained valuable business management, finance, fundraising, operations, and human resources skills. “This is a big opportunity for me,” she says. The training enabled her to strengthen her business acumen, develop new strategies, and expand operations. With newfound knowledge and skills, she is now ready to pitch her business for seed funding to rehabilitate the plant and buy necessary equipment.
Inspiration and Impact
Om Habeeb’s story showcases the resilience and perseverance of entrepreneurs. With the right support and training, women like her can succeed, create better futures for themselves and their families, and contribute to community and environmental growth. The USAID-supported WED Project has empowered women entrepreneurs like Om Habeeb, proving that determination, hard work, and the right support can help overcome any obstacle and achieve their goals.
Thanks to the WED program, I transformed my passion for the environment into a thriving business.
