women coop

Al Mustaqbal newspaper published a report on Mouneh preparation in anticipation of the upcoming winter in Rashayya.  According to the report, producing homemade Mouneh has declined during the last five years with the proliferation of rural women cooperatives where tens of women work to produce a variety of items which are now sold in local stores.  According to the Board President of the Rashaya Gardens Association for Rural Development, Fares Fayek, several working women, especially young women who did not acquire local traditions and know-how, approach women cooperatives to buy their food supplies. He added that his association has created work opportunities for many women and girls from Rashayya.  He further noted that his association produces items that are in demand by local households, particularly during in the winter season, and even exports parts of its production abroad notably to Arab countries.  Sheikha Raba7h Jamal, from Nejmet el Sobh7 women cooperative noted for her part that homemade food processing now is only focused on certain dairy and pickled products as housewives prefer to buy their food items from women cooperatives particularly jams, juices, grains, molasses, syrups and herbal essences.  She added that Nejmet el Sobh7 enjoys access to markets in Beirut, as well as in some GCC and European markets.
On the other hand, and according to the same report, some women still insist on producing their own Mouneh as they are convinced that home production is irreplaceable as well as cheaper.  The report added that, according to these women, notably Um Wa2el from Kawkaba and Um Kassem from Rafeed, housewives know better about their household needs.
Source: Al-Mustaqbal 26 November 2014

The office of Civil Affairs at the UNIFIL’s western sector organised in collaboration with UNIDO an exhibition of agricultural, food products and traditional crafts produced by local rural women cooperatives in Lebanon, and in celebration of the international rural women's day.
The representative of UNIDO, Ms, Solange Matta Saadeh noted that the UNIDO project which is implemented by the international agency with funding from the Italian government seeks to support rural women so as to strengthen rural and local communities in several parts of Lebanon and in order to sustain livelihoods and offering technical advice to support and develop local small and medium enterprises.  She highlighted the importance of supporting rural and agricultural cooperatives and their production capacity so as to increase local production level and ensure complementarity with commercial companies in the agriculture production field and, eventually, to support the Lebanese economy.
Source: Al-Diyar 19 October 2013