MONA TOUKA

Libya- With the evolving role of women in society and their challenge against stereotypes and traditional gender roles, unique female experiences have emerged in sectors that were previously dominated by men. Among these experiences is the foundation of the first women's company for mobile phone and computer repair, allowing women to demonstrate their capability to innovate in technology.

The “Tamouh Women's Company” exemplifies the essence of female entrepreneurship, successfully overcoming challenges and achieving tangible accomplishments. The team not only strives to provide high-quality maintenance services but also aims to empower women and enhance their role in technology.

From engineering to entrepreneurship

Engineer Khadija Al-Majdoub, director of “Tamouh Women's Company” and the originator of the idea of founding a company to repair mobile phones and computers, spoke about how the project started. “I am an electronics engineer. I gained experience in repairing computers because I used to help my friends when they faced problems with their computers. After my graduation, I enrolled in a mobile phone repairing training course organized by UNICEF. There, I met my colleagues who shared the same passion with me.”

After the training course, they formed the “Tamouh” team and participated in competitions and secured second place in one of these competitions in 2019, among 40 projects. “We started working from home in 2020, providing repair services to our relatives and friends, who helped us to market our services. In 2021, we started our business on social media. We published videos of our services, which attracted clients from all over Libya.”

The team gradually expanded the business, forming a marketing team in the southern regions. In 2023, the team began to sell devices, offering discounts for university students. “We aim to open branches across Libya. Now, we are a team consisting of seven women engineers,” Khadija Al-Majdoub told NuJINHA.

 Challenges faced by women in technology sector

Raja Saleh, a member of the “Tamouh Women’s Company,” highlighted one of the challenges faced by women in the technology sector. “Women often fear that their photos or videos may be leaked when giving their mobile phones to men for repair. Therefore, our primary goal is to provide a secure service that guarantees privacy.”

The company also aims to reduce the number of malfunctioning and unused devices among women by providing exceptional repair services. Additionally, it seeks to create job opportunities for women by organizing specialized training courses.

 Challenge and passion

Mariam Mohamed Ibrahim, another member of the project, spoke about her passion for electronic devices and mobile phone repair, noting that her love for repairing electronic devices began when she watched her brother fixing her mobile phone. “One day, I will challenge you and repair my mobile phone myself,” she told her brother. “This challenge motivated me to enter this sector, and I joined a training program organized by the Italian organization Supernova, and I gained substantial experience.”

Working in this sector shows Mariam Mohamed Ibrahim that women are capable of achieving any goal, as long as they do not succumb to any obstacles. Her message to all women: “Do not allow any obstacle to stop you; women are capable of excelling in any sector”

Passion transformed into a profession

“As 15 women, we joined a training course because we wanted to learn how to fix mobile phones and start our own business,” said Aziza Mohammed, one of the company's employees. “Thanks to the training course organized by the company, we were able to prove our capabilities in the technology sector.”

In conclusion, the team members sent a message to all women: “Women are capable of breaking barriers, challenging norms, and achieving success in any sector they choose.”