A loan helped to replace some of the current equipment in her prosthetics factory and buy raw materials.


Meada's story

Meada and her business personifies all that is part of a successful, unique, ambitious, and ‘do-good’ driven small enterprise.

Meada always wanted to help people and completed her studies with a Technical Diploma in Prosthetics and Orthotics. Since her certification in Iraq in 1991, she participated in further training courses both at home and in Jordan. Her passion to help others, her skills to deliver, and her recognition to the most needed assistance for the people in her area led her to open her own small limbs manufacturing business which she opened in 2009.

The war and continued violence characterized by blasts and bombings have killed many and have left – and continue to leave – even more people with severe injuries and missing body parts. By providing individuals with prosthetics, Meada is assisting adults and children to lead normal lives, participate in everyday activities, attend schools and overcome the challenges of living with physical disabilities, overcome the challenges of dealing with the trauma and remaining signs of horrific past events.

Opening the business was not without challenges. Rent was high cost, and the really good quality raw materials for the artificial limbs are extremely expensive. The high costs would have left many without assistance as the final products would have not been affordable to the people most in need. Meada decided to work with less expensive raw materials from Turkey – rather than using the admittedly better quality, but far too expensive German materials.

Slowly Meada was able to establish her business and started to overcome the initial challenges. She gives much credit to her husband also who has helped greatly at home. Meada and her husband are raising 4 children, and at the age of 42, has the greatest potentials for the future of her business. She is participating in the WLIFT program, taking a SME business loans and participating in business skills training and mentoring to give her the business skills that match her unique small enterprise.

She has currently qualified for a $7000 SME loan which she would like to use for purchasing a new, bigger gas oven, as the one she is currently using is an electric one, making work during power cuts difficult. She would like to replace the engine in the Softening Machine used to make the artificial limps more comfortable. With the new, better quality engine the work will be completed faster, reducing the time for orders to be completed, and thereby allowing for more orders to be taken. With the remaining amount she will be able to purchase more raw materials.

Meada has many goals and plans for the further expansion of the business, she would like to eventually add a training room to the prosthesis manufacturing facility, equipped with proper training aids to help people get used to their new prosthesis limbs. In the video she explains with her own words the future plans:

"Peace upon you! I’m specialist Meada from Iraq. I have a Prosthesis Factory, Al-Jawadeen specialized prosthesis center for the physically disabled. I received a loan of $7,000 from Relief International to improve my business. I would like to expand it as my business needs a training hall with equipment for the men and women (for getting used to the prosthesis). We serve disabled adults and children; adults with prosthesis and children with supportive aids. Thank you!"



Loan details


Lenders and lending teams




Loan details