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29 March 2006.CARE, along with NGO partners: the Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ), and the Economic and Social Development Center, are implementing the project for Livelihood Improvement in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (LIOPT). AusAid, the Australian Agency for International Development, is providing the funding. LIOPT is contributing to sustainable livelihood security of nine vulnerable Palestinian communities in Jenin and Tubas regions in the northern part of the West Bank. LIOPT is improving food security and community resilience, and encouraging equal participation of women in their homes, local community, and society at large. As part of the agricultural and water activities, 120 home gardens were established, tractors, shredders, and agricultural tools were purchased, and 50 beehives were distributed. As part of the capacity building activities, training was offered in integrated management of food production in greenhouses and home gardens, beehive keeping, marketing, and leadership, civic awareness and good governance. For Baheya Hoseen, 48 years old, from the village of Deer Ghazala in the Jenin area, she could run a small enterprise because of the training she received as part of the LIOPT project. Baheya believes in the ability of women to run their own enterprises. The LIOPT team met Baheya during their preparatory activities in her village, and she said she wants to participate in the LIOPT project. Soon, women from the rural area elected Baheya to represent them in the LIOPT project committee. Baheya is always hopeful and she is taking the initiative, as member of the LIOPT Project Local Committee, to participate in field visits to beneficiaries of the beehives, home gardens, and water cisterns. She is taking the initiative despite social barriers, and her remarkable success is becoming a role model to other women in the area. Baheya is causing her local community to change its doubts and misconceptions about the role of women. In the weekly meetings, Baheya is leading other women in discussing societal issues, and she is participating in the training that will enhance and build women capacities. With time Baheya is becoming increasingly confident in her entrepreneurial abilities. Now she is covering some of her children’s educational cost. When there is sufficient agricultural produce Baheya is providing jobs for ten families in the area. Yet, Baheya is facing major obstacles whenever she wants to market her agricultural produce, because of travel restrictions in the Jenin area. In addition to marketing the produce in her own village of Deir Ghazaleh, she is establishing links with shops in Jenin. With help from CARE and LIOPT, women like Baheya have high hope for a better future. |
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