The Bekaa region represents one of the highly affected areas by the Syrian Crisis, where around two million Syrians are estimated to be present currently in Lebanon.
In order to mitigate the crisis tensions in this area & reduce resource and economic strains on the affected Hima communities, namely Hima AlFekha and Hima Anjar and Kfar Zabad , SPNL and through the generous support of OTI Lebanon is working on meeting the livelihood stresses through the project titled “Vocational Trainings on Carpet Weaving in el-Fekha Village and pruning in Aanjar/Kfar Zabad”.
The following project aims to offer alternative income generating activities for women and young farmers, thus reducing the competition over job opportunities between the host communities and the refugees, and through supporting their traditional livelihoods.
Women learn to weave beautiful carpets, preserving their ancient traditions. Carpet sales earn women income to support themselves and their families.
SPNL seeks to revitalize this ancient art by supporting women to be carpet weavers with training, supervision, equipment, and supplies.
From 1 April to 10 May 2014 SPNL will train women in EL-Fekha/Jdeydeh village to weave beautiful carpets, preserving their ancient traditions, and support women in marketing these beautiful handmade products in order to support themselves and their families. This village has been a center of fine carpet weaving for hundreds of years. However, this ancient art is in danger of extinction. Carpet sale income provides funding for health care and education, literacy, computer classes, and teacher training. Many Lebanese women today experience barriers to employment. But carpet weaving is a traditional income-earning occupation for women. Therefore, women can easily use this skill to support themselves and their families.
In el-Fekha village, around 30 Lebanese and Syrian women will be trained on how to weave handmade carpets from natural wool, whereby each one will be provided by the needed equipment (wooden loom, metal loom, weaving wheel, scissors, and comb). Furthermore, a marketing study will be done in order to help women market their products and facilitate their penetration in the market.
However in Anjar the project has already started through training around 30 Lebanese and Syrian men on pruning where they were provided with the necessary training on pruning techniques& pruning equipment. Accordingly to the mayor of Anjar, the implemented project in Anjar not only offer alternative incomes to Lebanese &Syrian youth, but it also raises the skills of young farmers on “up to date” pruning techniques, thus contributing to the improvement of their agriculture.
Training on pruning in Hima Anjar
