In the small country of Djibouti only 18% of women are formally employed, compared to 45 percent of men. Fathia Idleh Doubad is working to change that. As president of the Club des Jeunes Entrepreneurs (the Club for Young Entrepreneurs) in Ali-Sabieh region, Fathia has created a support network for small businesses in the region.
Founded in 2017, Fathia’s organization had encountered several challenges, including a lack of resources and limited management knowledge. Over the past two years, USAID has been building the capacity of local Djiboutian organizations, including Fathia’s, to improve service delivery, address regional priorities, and coordinate with like-minded civil society organizations and local governments.
Fathia has spearheaded women’s economic empowerment projects throughout her region to eradicate poverty, bring gender equality, and ensure a better future for younger generations in Djibouti.
Fathia has spent the last 20 years advocating for women’s leadership in Djibouti. She has found that women have the unique ability to demonstrate empathy and patience, which are essential qualities to setting up income-generating activities in a challenging environment.
"During USAID workshops, we realized many women, including me, spoke only one language, and this was a barrier to the development of our small enterprises. The association encouraged women to learn French and English to help them expand their products to a broader customer base. Recently, a women's craft cooperative grouping together several associations from the Ali Sabieh region participate in an annual bazaar in the capital."
