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Jewellery-making housewife Nadia Al Sadeq has a glittering future ahead of her after impressing some of the finest jewellery houses in the world with her creations.
She started off with a micro start-up business loan and has now shown off her work on the international stage and believes she has set the foundations for a successful family enterprise her children can benefit from.
Known as 'Mrs Accessory' by her family and friends she makes and designs an array of rings, necklaces, earrings and bracelets for a growing band of customers at home and abroad.
The Muharraq mother of three boys and three girls aged between six to 24 years said: "My designs suit women of all ages and tastes and I always bear in mind that I should come out with something unique and of high quality."
She uses beads, precious stones, leather threads, mother pearl, pearls, wood, silver, crystal and shells in designing the fashion accessories.
Mrs Al Sadeq sources most of her materials from Thailand after being inspired by the work of jewellery-makers she noticed on a trip to the country. "I started learning by designing little things for myself but it was nothing major.
"I never thought much about it until I saw craftsmen skillfully making accessories in little shops in Thailand and I was fascinated by their talent," she said.
"I bought some material and started designing more accessories of my own and people became interested in my products."
Word of her talent reached Bahrain Television producers and she was featured on a programme highlighting talented local individuals.
She said: "The next day the president of Al Birr Society called the Information Ministry and got my details and offered me a free stand at one of the exhibitions that they were organising."
From that moment on Mrs Al Sadeq never looked back and the 45-year-old Bahraini has now participated in a host of promotional opportunities.
"From there I took part in various other exhibitions in and outside of Bahrain," she explained. "I even went to Milan where I took part in an international exhibition. Visitors including famous companies like Versace said they were impressed by my work and that meant a lot to me.
"I am opening a shop in a mall in Arad very soon and I will display all my work there. I hope my plan will work out because I have several dreams that I would like to fulfill.
"I want to grow my business and leave it for my children when I pass away. I want it to be a legacy, which is why I am involving my older children in my work from now on."
Nadia was given her initial boost thanks to a micro-finance project almost 10 years ago.
"I started with BD100 loan and now my loan has reached BD900, which I have to pay off in a year," she said.
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 at providing small, short-term loans to low-income individuals, especially women.
This project is the second of its kind, following a successful project called the Micro-start which was initiated in 1999.
Nadia can be contacted on 39656308. For further information about the micro-finance project call Awal Women's Society on 17678974 or visit any branch of Al Eslah Society.
