Sowing seeds of hope in Jordan
© UN Women/ Lauren Rooney
Syrian refugee women participate in the commemoration of International Women's Day at the UN Women Oasis in Za’atari refugee camp, Jordan (9 March 2020).
Through Canada’s support of UN Women’s Gender Mainstreaming in the Government of Jordan’s Systems project, Canada is empowering women and helping them become more economically self-sufficient. In 2020-2021, the project was behind the opening of 17 Oasis Centres that provide training and funds for women in Jordan. This support has been particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic as the crisis is disproportionately affecting women’s ability to make a living.
Siham Al Qatameen is a 54-year-old Syrian refugee living in a rural community in southern Jordan. For more than a decade, Al Qatameen has been the sole provider for her 11 family members. She is one of the many women who enrolled in an agriculture training program at the Oasis Centre.
“I used the skills I learned to cultivate herbs and vegetables in my home garden, which I gave to neighbours who are struggling financially [during the height of the pandemic],” says Al Qatameen.
The training she received through the Oasis Centre further inspired her to share her knowledge with other women in her community, as she has taught them how to grow their own produce.
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