In a pickle and loving it

MOTHER-OF-EIGHT Mariam Al Majdami is a devoted daughter, a loving wife and a caring mother and above all, a shrewed businesswoman - one of the kingdom's growing number of Bahraini entrepreneurs.

The 50-year-old owns a tailor shop and a roastery, both located in Busaiteen, and has designs on making a fortune out of her special pickles made with a tantalising secret tasty family recipe.

And she believes an old family tradition will help her make a good living alongside a little financial assistance from the kingdom's successful micro-financing project.

"I always wanted to have my own business. I wanted to have a business which I could run, manage and earn money," said Mariam who has four boys and four girls aged between 14 to 33 years.

She started tailoring outfits for people from her home after graduating from a school which specialised in teaching the art of tailoring.

Twenty-five years ago Mrs Al Majdami opened her first shop in Busaiteen. "I hired a couple of tailors and showed them how to run the business, of course, under my close supervision. I only tailor clothes now for my family members, it is something I enjoy doing from time to time," she said.

"Soon after the tailor shop venture I started making homemade Indian and Bahraini pickles. It is another interest of mine which I learned from my late grandmother and my mother.

"I remember as a child watching my grandmother and my mother making traditional spices and pickles. I learned how to make them and little by little I picked up the secret family recipe of ingredients and how long it takes to prepare the spices and the pickles."

Mrs Al Majdami said although her mother was blind she has proved inspirational.

"My mother has been blind since she was four years old, but she overcame her disability, got married, had kids, learned how to cook and run the house. There is nothing she wouldn't do in her house," she said.

"I have learned a lot from her and her courage and patience. She is a great lady.

"My first roastery shop 'Busaiteen Roastery' was opened 10 years ago, next to my tailor shop.

"I sell the pickles I make in addition to a variety of sweets I bring from Lebanon and Jordon."

The pickles Mrs Al Majdami makes at home includes lentil pickles, chick peas, eggplants, mango, prawns, lemon, calamari, spicy cheese, cheese with olives, cheese and vegetables and many other flavours.

"I also make Bahraini pickles which are a mixture of different kinds of vegetables and a secret ingredient," she said laughingly.

"I joined the microfinance project through Awal Women Society three years ago to get extra cash to help me expand my business.

"I started with a BD100 loan and now I got a BD900 loan which I have to pay back BD125 every month which includes interest," she added.

"In addition to the cash, the project also provided us with a fully-equipped factory located in Sitra where we take our ingredients and prepare the pickles.

"The factory is supervised by Health Ministry officials."

The stickers on the pickle jars are also provided for free from the project.

"They also distribute our products to various supermarkets around the country. I, myself, distribute the pickles in the shops in my area in Busaiteen," said Mrs Al Majdami.

"There are a lot of people coming from Kuwait and Qatar who buy boxes of pickles. I guess they have a taste for our homemade pickles. The Indian pickles are priced at BD1.500 and the Bahraini pickles are just BD1.

Her entrepaneur spirit is still as strong as ever.

"My next project is to open a restaurant selling homemade Bahraini food ... that is something I have in my mind."

Mrs Al Majdami's husband of 34 years has been supportive all the way.

She said: "I would not have been able to get to where I am today if it was not for the support and push I received from my husband.

"He has been available whenever I needed him ... whether it was for an advice to accompany me in my business trips," she said.

"Even my children have been great telling me that I am free to do whatever I want in my life as long as it makes me happy."