Empower Women Entrepreneurs in Palestine & Jordan

NEF has built a strong bond with targeted women’s organizations over four years of work, providing training and support tailored to the needs of participants. Over the past months, the women run NGOs targeted by NEF have demonstrated their ability to use this training and support to undertake new and exciting projects.

• Summer Camp. The Anin Society for the Development of Women in Jenin Governorate, with the support of 12 youth volunteers and the local community, planned and managed a two-week summer camp for 150 children between the ages of 5-12 years (including 8 disabled youth).  The camp provided a unique opportunity for children to participate in arts and crafts, sports, and outings during their summer vacation. Najat and Fida, the youngest participants in NEF’s summer 2010 training program in managerial skills and computer literacy, were two of the youth volunteers who played an important role in organizing the summer camp. 
• Economic Development. Based on trainings from NEF in agricultural practices and management, a group of women from Asira village began their own business in olive seedling production. These four women and their families used skills they learned in how to germinate olive seedlings to begin a small-scale nursery to sell seedlings.  This project increased the income of the participants and their families, while also offering a new model for women’s economic development through nontraditional projects.
• Proposal Development.  The women of the Balata Society are planning to submit their own proposals for projects supporting women in the local community to donors, building on skills learned during association development trainings. NEF will provide support as needed to the association. This is an exciting step that will develop the sustainability and self-sufficiency of the association.
• School feeding program continues. NEF’s work with women’s organizations in supplying meals to school canteens provided an important means of developing the skills of these associations. The Deir Ghazaleh, Balata, and Beita Societies will continue to supply meals during the upcoming school year.  Members of these societies have benefited financially and socially from this activity, and look forward to continuing this work during the next year.
• New training program in home gardening.  NEF is beginning a new project to assist families in starting home gardens as income generating activities in the Jordan Valley. NEF will provide thyme seedlings to 40 women in four villages, and provide necessary agricultural training in pre- and post- harvest procedures to allow women to benefit from these opportunities.