Najwa Abubakr Barzueil

A business administration graduate, Najwa Abubakr Barzueil works in community development, human rights and women’s economic empowerment. Through managing programmes and initiatives, she has gained an in-depth understanding of local producers’ needs and the barriers that restrict their access to markets. The idea for Louma emerged in 2020, when Najwa began informally marketing traditional products. Her conversations with craftspeople from several Libyan municipalities highlighted both the decline of certain craft practices and the lack of specialised sales channels. Despite the hacking of the project’s first online page, limited resources and difficulties maintaining a stable team, Najwa remained committed to developing the concept. Training programmes, including She Leads, helped rebuild her confidence and enabled her to rethink Louma’s business model and strategy.

Louma is an e-commerce platform dedicated to promoting Libyan handicrafts and traditional industries. It aims to connect craftspeople with local and international markets, with a particular focus on women working from home and small businesses. The platform seeks to provide producers with a specialised digital marketplace where they can showcase and sell their creations beyond their immediate geographic areas. Its mission is twofold: to help preserve Libya’s cultural heritage and to support craftspeople in developing more stable and sustainable sources of income. Louma is a registered, revenue-generating business that is currently undergoing strategic restructuring. Before joining the project, it had two branches and eight team members. Najwa now plans to launch a professional platform, expand the network of producers across Libya, build a trusted brand and, in the longer term, introduce Libyan handicrafts to regional and international markets.