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HAYSSAM OLAYAN - TARIK JADIDEH, LEBANON |
Hayssam is a 37-year old pastry baker living in the area of Tarik el Jadideh in the Lebanese capital, Beirut. The young man inherited his pastry shop from his father and continued on with the business while caring for his wife and mother. In 2003, he decided to improve the grim shop with a first loan of $1,200 from Ameen. The amount was used to refurbish the small store through painting of the walls and increased lighting. With the help of four other Ameen micro-entrepreneur loans, Hayssam managed to further invest in his shop. Among other things, he bought a new fridge to store the gallons of cheese and he set up a big tent to cover the entrance of his shop. Today Hayssam’s shop is crowded with clients specially around the holiday festivities as Oriental sweets are extremely sought after during this period. This success comes from quality control over all products and affordable prices motivating customers to come back often. Today, Hayssam’s shop is a well-known stopping point for all passers by in the area. Talking about the future, the young pastry cook plans to create a small in-house factory. In his own words “success comes slowly but surely”. |
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