Waad Abunyan
Waad lives in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. She is a member of the Eastern Province Young Women’s Business Council and a founding partner of AWFR, which sells machines that recycle leftover food and turn it into organic fertilizer. She has also worked as a supervisor in a petroleum company, is a jewellery designer and the owner of COFFE. We caught up with the young Saudi Entrepreneur to talk about
Tell us about AWFR?
The project is not an individual effort but a family one, involving both my brother and sister and the ever-present support of our father. The idea was inspired by practices in European and Southeast Asian countries and developed as a solution to the costly disposal of food waste. We recycle food waste in an environmentally-friendly way to benefit the soil and agriculture.
How has being a member of the Women Business Council affected your work?
Frankly, after I joined the council I found increased interest in my projects and ideas and received moral support from other members.
You are also a jewellery designer. What can you tell us about your designs?
I use heavy gold to maintain the value of the pieces, and I love using the Australian Opal, even though dealing with it is very difficult. I also use emeralds and turquoise which are in great demand.
How has your chosen field of study benefited you?
I have had a passion for business administration since I was a child, and this, along with my talent for accounting and my keen interest in marketing, has benefited me a great deal.
Are you working on any new projects?
I intend to focus on my current projects for the time being, but there are plans to embrace even bigger challenges in the near future.
What do you think about the Productive Families Project?
The Productive Families Project has my full support. I was a volunteer with the “Attaa’ Khair” Charitable Society and supported the entry of its traditional craft products into the market to compete with manufactured products.
How do you manage to coordinate and prioritize amongst your various tasks and projects?
I work until 5:00 PM in the private sector, and then, in the family business until 7:30 PM. After that, I used to work on my jewellery designs, but now my full attention is directed towards the recycling project.
