From IT graduation to green entrepreneurship

N’Djamena, Chad (ILO News) - Leilah Saleh Djidda, a young woman from the Republic of Chad, launched a biofertilizer market gardening project based on water hyacinth. Agriculture and livestock are the two main economic sectors in Chad, offering significant employment opportunities to young people and women and contributing to the fight against unemployment in the country.

Leilah studied Design Engineering and Computer Science and Technology in Chongqing, China, and later secured a position in 2019 at the Permanent Elections Bureau in the National Electoral Commission. There, she worked on IT processes to better electoral systems in Chad. However, in 2024, Leilah unexpectedly lost her job. Instead of being discouraged, she began exploring a project in a field that had always interested her: sustainable agriculture.

After a period marked by uncertainty, Leilah had the opportunity of attending a SIYB training in agricultural entrepreneurship under the ILO RBSA-Chad project, in partnership with the National Office for the Promotion of Employment (ONAPE). She also participated in a market gardening training financed by the National Fund for Support to Vocational Training. In this context, she was selected as the third prize winner of the Innovative Ideas Competition during the First National Employment Forum. This award had a significant impact on her project, enabling her to accelerate its launch by providing the resources needed to purchase basic equipment and hire employees.
 

Do not define yourself by your status, but by your determination to move forward. The path may be difficult, but keep in mind that every challenge you overcome makes you stronger and prepares you for new opportunities.

Leilah Saleh Djidda

Leilah named her project AL AZZIM BIO, an organic market gardening initiative that uses water hyacinth as a natural fertilizer base. Armed with the knowledge acquired in these trainings, she established a solid business plan and conducted research on optimal methods for growing healthy vegetables. By reducing reliance on chemical inputs, her project not only lowers costs but also enhances consumer health. Particularly, the SIYB training, adapted to agricultural entrepreneurship, equipped Leilah with vital management, planning, and marketing skills, empowering her to transform her idea into a successful concrete project.