December 21, 2016
Palestine
"First of all, I will sew headbands for children," revealed Samabar, mother of six children – five girls and one boy. They live together with her niece in Ramallah, where Samahar is studying and is currently preparing for the biannual exams.
Samahar's husband was shot in the leg during the Second Intifada in 2000 and still bears the consequences of his injury. He is unable to find a job in Palestine, where the unemployment rate is now around thirty percent. The family is therefore totally dependent on Samahar’s income. Thanks to Caritas Czech Republic, she attended the annual sewing course in the Caritas Jerusalem Training Centre in Ramallah and also received support in a form of a sewing machine to develop her own business, which raised curiosity and brought great joy to the family.
Samera, the second woman to be supported, looks after her disabled son who depends on her totally for care. She must be at hand 24 hours a day, which makes it impossible for her to find long term employment. However, thanks to the training, Samera also acquired the knowledge needed and developed a plan to run her own business from home. She will sew and repair clothing for her neighbours, which enable her to combine both taking care of her son and earning a living. Caritas provided her with a steam iron and a sewing machine.
Asma's husband died a year ago, leaving her with two little daughters; the younger one celebrated two years this year. A widow with children is not allowed to live on her own according to local customs; therefore Asma had to decide either to re-marry or to move in with the family of her husband. She went for the second option, living now under the roof of the in-laws. Having small children prevents her from considering a job outside the home. Thanks to the sewing course and the donation of a sewing machine and a steam iron, Asma can now generate her own income and change her life and the life of her children for the better.
Caritas Czech Republic has supported a total of twenty women this past year in starting small businesses. Most of them have higher ambitions – after they manage to get sufficient funds, they plan to expand their businesses outside the walls of their homes.
Support for underprivileged and graduates was provided from the funds of the Czech Development Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic as a part of the Program for Foreign Development Cooperation of the Czech Republic.
