Nida Abu Makho Founder of Anaqa & Chic
For some graduates, finding employment after graduation in their field may seem simple, but that is far from the reality faced by thousands of Palestinians every year. As a recent Law graduate from Birzeit University, Nida Makho was faced with difficult circumstances that prevented her from pursuing her passion as a lawyer. Nevertheless, Nida remained ambitious and opted for a new direction, and started her own e-commerce business Anaqa & Chic.
It all started for Nida when she would see her mother embroidering classical pieces with traditional designs and was enthralled in the artistry of it all. Nida soon picked up the trade and began to delve into the art of embroidery and decided to put a modern touch on classic motif pieces and incorporate customized and unique designs on accessories, home décor, scarves (head coverings), dresses, jeans, and traditional Palestinian gowns formal and casual.
However, starting a new business is no easy feat, and around this time, MENACatalyst had just launched its latest support program, Self-Employment in a Digital Age, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The program is designed to empower a new generation of self-starters with access to a fully integrated marketing program that includes a series of specialized courses in the field of digital marketing and access to specialized mentorship sessions, and networking events needed to hone their newfound skills, acquire practical experience in the field, access new markets, and collaborate with their peers in new and existing projects digital marketing projects.
By joining MENACatalyst latest support program, Nida knew she has what it takes to become an enterprising self-starter and operate her own e-shop “Anaqa & Chic”. The mentorship program with our field experts, and the digital marketing and photography trainings has allowed Nida to manage her brand successfully. Nida currently manages all digital activities such as marketing, photography, and social media, for her brand, and continues to have an upper hand in marketing operations along with new designs.
Since joining the program, Nida has been able to launch Anaqa & Chic and take her e-shop to the next level that currently benefits from a strong and loyal local client base and access to an international customer base. However, Nida continues to work diligently to strengthen her international customers base by incorporating new designs and new digital marketing tactics to help spread the word and attract new customers to her growing e-shop.
“My brand provides unique and exclusive hand-made embroidery designs and at Anaqa & Chic we aim to meet the different and distinctive personalities of all our customers.” – Nida Makho
Follow Anaqa & Chic on social media:
Facebook: @Anaqa & Chic
Instagram: @anaqa_chic