A development grant changed the fate of a family in the Old City of Hebron

Hebron - Maannews- When each member of the family of the married couple, Mazen and Amal, sits in the old town of Hebron on the chair of the sewing machine inside the house, and starts weaving the most beautiful clothes and fashions with boundless creativity, you realize at that time that the family has established an eternal friendship with that machine that stops it from needing others.

Amal Alumah (Umm Islam) for about 25 years, and she mastered the craft of sewing in addition to the skill of fashion design, but her practice of what she mastered did not go beyond the borders of her home, and did not go beyond modest production, until she received an individual grant within the project “Enhancing Community Response in Responding to The economic and social status of the participating families in the Family Empowerment Program in Hebron Governorate, which is implemented by the Children's Villages (SOS) and in partnership with the Rural Women's Development Association, funded by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and (CISU).

The grant for Amal and her family included providing them with sewing machines, rolls of cloth, and all the necessary materials to start a sewing workshop inside one of the rooms of the house. Indeed, the family embarked on this project, which was a dream that Amal had dreamed of for many years, so that the production of the workshop began to go out to all parts of the old town. Without exceeding that throughout the Hebron governorate, according to Amal.
A critical stage that the family passed and saved its project

SOS Children's Villages Palestine, in partnership with the Rural Women's Development Association, implemented a project: "Strengthening community responses in response to the economic and social situation of the partner families in the Family Empowerment Program in Hebron Governorate." Through this project, the Rural Women's Development Association provided an individual grant, which was A reason for a positive change in the life of Amal's family. When the disease permeated her body, which was no longer able to sew cloth and clothes, fear crept into Amal - fear of the failure of her project - but her husband, Mazen Abdel Hafeez, was the shield protecting her dream, when he took it upon himself to learn this craft. To complete what his wife started.

Mazen, the breadwinner for a family of 13, says: “I used to work as a blacksmith at the beginning of my life, but this work requires great effort and a strong and solid body, and I am not like that after I had an illness that weakened my strength, and when my wife got sick, I asked her to teach me the craft of sewing, and to guide me.” For what you want to make, and what I insisted on happened, which is that I learned quickly, and began to sew and weave clothes and fabrics, and taught some members of my family this work, which we cooperated and joined hands to accomplish it and ensure its continuity.
How was the effect of the grant reflected on family members?

The impact of the grant that produced this project did not stop at providing material income on a daily basis for the family, which became financially independent and seemed more forward-looking and satisfied with the future. She spared her children from wasting time in the alleys of the neighborhood and mixing with bad friends. When they return from school, they are busy completing their homework and preparing their lessons. Once they finish that, they go to the sewing room inside the house to practice their hobby by trying to make things they want from fabrics and wool.

As for the family empowerment program implemented by the Children’s Village (SOS) and its local partner in the old town, the Axis Association, it worked to provide psychological, social and professional support to prepare the family through a social worker and a volunteer, in addition to training in project management provided by the Rural Women Development Association during the project period Which made the family eligible and ready to receive and implement the grant.

Mazen, the breadwinner for a family of 13, says: “I used to work as a blacksmith at the beginning of my life, but this work requires great effort and a strong and solid body, and I am not like that after I had an illness that weakened my strength, and when my wife got sick, I asked her to teach me the craft of sewing, and to guide me.” For what you want to make, and what I insisted on happened, which is that I learned quickly, and began to sew and weave clothes and fabrics, and taught some members of my family this work, which we cooperated and joined hands to accomplish it and ensure its continuity.
How was the effect of the grant reflected on family members?

The impact of the grant that produced this project did not stop at providing material income on a daily basis for the family, which became financially independent and seemed more forward-looking and satisfied with the future. She spared her children from wasting time in the alleys of the neighborhood and mixing with bad friends. When they return from school, they are busy completing their homework and preparing their lessons. Once they finish that, they go to the sewing room inside the house to practice their hobby by trying to make things they want from fabrics and wool.

As for the family empowerment program implemented by the Children’s Village (SOS) and its local partner in the old town, the Axis Association, it worked to provide psychological, social and professional support to prepare the family through a social worker and a volunteer, in addition to training in project management provided by the Rural Women Development Association during the project period Which made the family eligible and ready to receive and implement the grant.