Manufacturing dairy products

Syrian women have been deeply affected by the ongoing crisis in their home country. After 4 years millions of women and children have found themselves displaced and without their husbands and fathers, who provided for their families. With a large number of men dying, disappearing, or being arrested women have found themselves in the position of having to provide for their families, however, many lack the knowledge and necessary skills to do so.
The Project:
In early 2015 Women Now launched a project in Maidal Anjar, Lebanon, a small village in Lebanon’s eastern Bekaa Valley region. The project’s goal was to support some of the women from the village by manufacturing dairy products.
Six women work to manufacture fresh cheese and special Syrian dairy products. The products the women produce are sold in a small store, located on a main shopping street. Women Now rented the store for a year in order to ensure the project’s success.
The store has two rooms, one where the women can manufacture the dairy products and one to sell the products in. The store also sells bread that is made from another of Women Now’s economic empowerment projects.
Beneficiaries:
The income generated from this project supports the six women who manufacture all the dairy products. Thanks to the money the women are earning they are now able to provide for their families on their own.
Women Now is pleased to announce that this project proved to be sustainable and in a year the women will be able cover the entirety of their rents and support their families with the money they earn. The women will also be able to reimburse part of Women Now’s initial investment. This will allow us to undertake a new project as a solidarity loan.