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Crochet and tricot is no longer just a hobby for Amal Abdulla after she decided to turn her favourite pass-time into a business with the help of Micro-finance.
Bahraini Amal makes beautiful embroideries for jalabeyas, dresses and abayas which suit all ages and tastes and the 37-year-old mother of two boys and a girl, aged five to 15, says she loves what she does.
"I learnt crochet and tricot in school and I loved the idea of making different designs out of wool and thread," she said.
"It became my fovourite hobby during my teenage years and when my mother realised how much I really liked it she taught me more techniques and designs."
Now Amal sells her products from her flat in Isa Town.
"When my children grew a bit I found myself bored and with nothing to do to occupy my free time, so I thought about using my talent in something useful," she said.
"Most of the abayas sold these days are embroidered, so I thought to myself why not do it with crochet instead of normal thread and my customers love it.
"I also make various types of flowers from crochet which again can be glued onto dresses or jalabeyas."
From tricot she can make hats and shawls.
"My products suit small girls as well as grown up women and I make sure that whatever I produce is of high quality," said Amal.
"I have customers from all over Bahrain as well as Kuwait and Qatar."
Amal joined the Micro-finance project almost four years ago and says time now flies as she is so busy.
"I started with BD50 loan and now my loan has reached to BD600 which I have to pay off in a year," she said.
"This project of mine helped me get busy, now time flies with me. It takes me two to three days to finish an embroidery job on a single abaya.
"I get really busy before Eid. Sometimes I spend the whole day working on orders."
Micro-finance was formed by the United Nations Development Project, The Social Development Ministry and Al Ahli United Bank.
The project, entitled 'Provisions of Sustainable Micro-Finance Credit and Services to Needy Citizens of Bahrain', aims to provide small, short-term loans to low-income individuals, especially women to help them set up their own businesses.
This project is the second of its kind, following the successful Micro-start which was initiated in 1999.
"My monthly income from this project helps me expand my work, buy things that I need for myself or even do a little saving," said Amal.
She can be contacted on 39015717. For further information about the Micro-finance project call Awal Women's Society on 17678974 or visit any branch of Al Eslah Society.
