Youth Groups of ActionAid Palestine to Organize Visits to Agricultural Cooperatives in Jordan Valleys and Tulkarem Governorate
On the Occasion of International Youth Day
During the past two months, ActionAid Palestine (AAP)’s program of “Civil and Democratic Participation of Palestinian Youth” (CIV) has continued organizing visits to Palestinian youth to agricultural cooperatives supported by AAP’s program. Youth were introduced to the work of cooperatives and their importance in promoting the economic empowerment of Palestinian households in the marginalized areas in Jordan Valleys and Tulkarem governorate.
Youth were briefed about the role of agricultural cooperatives in strengthening the idea of returning to land among youth as a mean for combating unemployment and developing economic productive patterns that strengthen the community resilience and youth participation.
Around 120 young men and women from different areas in the West Bank participated in those visits. Youth visited “Ikhailia Women Cooperative” located in governorate of Tubas. The name of Ikhailia was taken from a famous herb that is grown in the Jordan Valleys and used for supporting immune system. They met with a number of women who run this cooperative and listened to their experience in establishing this kind of cooperative and its impact on strengthening the economic empowerment for Palestinian Women and how they utilize their free time in planting the land.
Youth visited the village of Kufar Al-Labad in the governorate of Tulkarem and met with its mayor, Mr. Ihab Ghazala who welcomed them. They also visited the agricultural cooperative: “Karam Al-Teen” which means field of figs and its area is estimated at 7 dunums planted with trees of figs.
Youth met with the coordinator of Karam Al-Teen cooperative, Kifah Sabha who stressed the importance of promoting the idea of agricultural cooperatives saying: “the cooperatives are essentially needed to encourage youth and farmers to plant the land so that it could be protected from settlement”.
Muna Sarafandi is a young woman from Salfit said: “it introduced me to the concept of cooperatives in details and their national, economic and social impact on youth and their role in promoting alternative economic opportunities to all community groups”.
Noor Al-Masri is a young man from Bethlehem talked: “through these cooperatives, we were introduced to the important role of Palestinian farmers in achieving the self-sufficiency and strengthening the community resilience and protecting the land”.
Ahmad Khalaf is a young man from Jenin talked “we were introduced to the concept of cooperatives in details and their role in promoting the resilience of Palestinians”
Background Information
ActionAid in Palestine (AAP) is a part of global federation working for social justice and gender equality and eradicate poverty in more than 45 countries around the world. AAP started its work in Palestine in 2007 to strengthen the resilience of Palestinian People as ActionAid believes that they should enjoy their rights to freedom, justice and self-determination. AAP implements a number of programs through its engagement with communities and women and youth groups seeking to empower them and enhance their influential civil and political participation to understand their rights and undertake collective activism to address the protracted rights violations resulting from the prolonged occupation of Palestine. AAP works simultaneously to enhance their leadership capacity and knowledge to practice their citizenship in holding authorities and other duty bearers to account.
For more information, please contact
Riham Jafari
Coordinator of Advocacy and Communication in Palestine
Mobile:
+972 (0) 595242890
Office:
+972 (0) (2) 22 13 137
Email: