IN STEREO

We opened this workshop for women a year ago. It firstly aims at assuring job opportunities for ladies. And also, for example, a woman who likes to come to release pressures with a beautiful thing she makes. We’ve only been here for a few months. We work on orders – people ask us to make things. And we work in a group system; every group is responsible for a part. It was financed by the German association, KURVE. The presence of a foreign German association here is a type of protection for my home. They leave gradually until we become able to manage it completely. We’re all working as volunteers at the moment; we don’t take any money. The amount we collect, [we use it] to develop the factory. We collect and develop the factory. [The work is important because it] gives endurance for women here.

Because most of the responsibility is on the woman. We stay. I mean, the future of Al-Walaja: if the wall is around it and they close it completely, the one who has a job outside will go out, because they planned a gate that opens at a time and closes at a time. Who will stay in the area? Women and old men. The woman will be responsible for all the details. Of course, if the woman stays at home, the whole family stays in the area, you know? I mean, it’s not like people leave their homes and go out because life is easier in circulation. Adding to that, when the woman has an income she can live on, like agriculture, this also encourages her more to stick to her land. I mean, it’s difficult for me to leave something I work hard for. So the relationship strengthens between women and the land. – Lubna