NERMINA ALIJAGIC's STORY
Nermina Alijagic's life story is a typical example of a successful Bosnian woman who, after the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina ended, started from scratches and created and developed a successful and unusual business.
The real story on Mrs. Alijagic’s business success started right after her post-war return to Sarajevo. Having seen only ruins at the place where previously prestigious company ‘Famos’ was located, the company in which which is where Mrs. Alijagic used to work as an economist before the war, she decided to do something in order to provide basic living conditions for herself and her four member family.
As Mrs. Alijagic said: "Everything started when I was walking through the town trying to buy unusual and suitable presents for my dear friends. After numerous unsuccessful attempts, I sat down and made, by myself, exactly what I was looking for. Everyone liked what I made". This is how she started with production and sale of items made of glass.
"I had only good will as an opening capital. I was brave when I started even though I had no support for my ideas. People would usually ask me “What will you do with artistic glass in the post-war Sarajevo where almost all the windows are still broken?” I was firm in my plan. I always wanted to design something, produce nice things, and in the gloomy post-war time I made a decision to do exactly that. I knew I would be successful.
First Nermina's products were drawings on silk, then hand printed glass and porcelain items. She also makes candles and original Bosnian lace. Having understood that she was on a good way, and that there was a high demand for her products, she decided to start with production of unique glass items by herself. However, for such a business she needed money to buy a stove for baking glass, which she did not have at the time.
"At that time, banks did not even want to listen to my loan requests because I had no mortgage, plus my idea did not seem to be good one for them. However, at that time, I heard about PRIZMA microcredit organization from my friends. I went to PRIZMA with a hope that I would find somebody who would have understanding for what I do. And, really, PRIZMA's employees received me extremely kind and listened to my story. They recognized my potential and granted me a first loan in the amount of KM 2.000 (around 1.000EUR).
Today, Mrs. Alijagic uses funds from the fifth loan that she got from Prizma, and she has developed her business with remarkable success. She is successful businesswoman, owner of the KREATIV HOBBY Company that deals with artistic glass. She makes souvenirs and other items made of glass, using murano technique. She also makes stained glass, paints on porcelain and silk, sews, and paint silk.... All her family members work in her company as well as three more women that help her in a modern equipped production plant, as well as in the fashionable boutique located at Brusa market place, the oldest trade center in the Balkans. Palette of the KREATIV HOBBY Company products is very interesting and stands out from any monotony. Each product is a story for itself and, in such way, attracts new buyers with sophisticated and high aesthetic demands. Mrs. Alijagic has invested a lot in her education during past eight years by taking part in various seminars that were held all over the world, as well as by taking part at exhibitions and fairs, where she learned of new techniques and improved her knowledge that she, nowadays, applies, very successfully, on both, market of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire Europe.
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