“[This business] will enhance my self-confidence and will secure an income source for me and my family. Moreover, I will be the first woman to introduce this technology.”
White button mushrooms (mycelium) are a nutritious food source, and a favorite in local markets. Producing mushrooms in the West Bank is difficult without a local source of raw materials, the seed mycelium and compost. The challenge to find raw materials in the West Bank spurred Adeline’s creativity and determination to learn how to cultivate materials to grow mushrooms on her own.
In 2019, Adeline, who lives in Ramallah, established the Mushroom House Company to produce the raw materials to sell to mushroom entrepreneurs as a natural fertilizer. This innovative business venture was making headway just as the COVID-19 pandemic derailed the business plan. For this reason, Adeline sought out support from USAID’s Small Medium Enterprise for Recovery and Transition (SMART) activity to jump-start her business’ recovery following the impacts of the pandemic.
Adeline encourages other entrepreneurs to gain independence and take opportunities when they can. “My message to other entrepreneurs is to study your project carefully, take your time, try to be independent as much as you can but if anyone offers assistance, don’t hesitate.”