Meet Lynda Sadoudi and Tin-Hinan Saou, two passionate creators dedicated to showing the beauty of Algeria’s rich heritage and craftsmanship through their social enterprise, Azarik.

When the Covid-19 pandemic brought the two friends together, they thought of an innovative way to shed light on the untapped potential of Algeria’s diverse culture. “We wanted to be an interior decoration company but with a local touch. A social entreprise that celebrates local craftsmanship and the men and women behind it,” Lynda recalls.

The duo participated in the EU-funded SAFIR programme, which offered them an eight-month incubation period. A turning point for Azarik. “We had no clue about entrepreneurship, financing or even how to make our company legally exist in Algeria,” Lynda remembers. Through the Algerian Centre for Social Entreprise, they were exposed to a rich ecosystem of experts in various entrepreneurship fields.

Azarik now offers two services: the sale of artisan products and tailored interior decoration services.

“Our approach goes beyond mere transactions; we want to raise awareness of the importance of handmade products and the individuals behind them,” explains Lynda who says that, to ensure the products showcased are authentic, they personally search for artisans, often in remote rural areas. Lynda and Tin-Hinan curate the items, share the artisan’s story, and link each product to the artisan’s workshop on their website.

For now, the duo manages every aspect of Azarik as they wait for further funding to expand. “It can be very difficult to survive as a social entreprise in Algeria, even more so in the creative industry sector,” Lynda points out.

But she says they are both resolute in their mission to empower artisans and “elevate Algerian crafts onto the global stage”.

Find Azarik on : Website  | Linkedin  | Facebook