Reem and Shamsa are getting ready for planting in two greenhouses in Raqqa

Reem Jum’a al-Kahish, 35, and Shamsa Mekhlef al-Jarjab, 48, are two females who are waiting for the completion of preparing greenhouses, in preparation for the start of planting seedlings in trays.

Both Reem and Shamsa joined the project team of Green Fingertips launched by GAV4RD organization in mid-September 2021, as part of its efforts to support the agricultural sector and empower women economically.

Reem, who is a breadwinner of her four children, says that she was thinking of starting her own greenhouse project before joining the Green Fingertips project team, but lack of resources was a main obstacle.  

Reem is now monitoring the seeds’ trays and the preparation of the soil inside the greenhouse which is now ready to receive drip irrigation techniques, temperature control, ventilation and other climatic conditions inside it.  

Along with the team of agricultural engineers, Reem takes part in fertilizing the soil and preparing the pesticides to provide the best conditions for the growth of the seeds that have also entered the sowing seeds stage in the trays designated for this type of protected cultivation.

Reem, who has been working in planting summer and winter vegetables, adds that she will continue to work for the success of this project, accompanied by the project team, which includes agricultural engineers and consultants, in order to achieve her dream, which she has always thought of turning into a reality.

As for Shamsa, she starts her day every morning by helping the technician team to install the greenhouse, prepare the pesticides, and clean the soil in preparation for the start of the planting season after creating all the appropriate conditions for this process.

Shamsa, who is the breadwinner of nine children since her husband’s death, says that she is racing against time to prepare the indoor greenhouse environment before the start of the planting season. She is doing her best to install the necessary threads for climbing plants and their growth, and other necessary technical supplies.  

Now, both Reem and Shamsa are thinking of completing the technical work in preparation for moving the seeds’ trays into the two greenhouses, and the start of the countdown to the start of the planting season, which they both aspire to be a model, especially since they participate in creating the necessary technical conditions sufficient to ensure the results of such agricultural projects.

The Green Fingertips project comes in the context of GAV4RD endeavor to support the agricultural sector and provide permanent and stable livelihoods for women, in order to enhance their chances of resilience in facing life’s challenges, and increase their chances of playing a leading role in the economic, social and political fields in the future.

The project, which will last for three months, provides investment opportunities for thirty female beneficiaries by providing model greenhouses with all the necessary requirements to produce integrated agricultural crops and market them locally, and to develop their skills in the field of care, irrigation and fertilization according to the latest technologies.  

The project will provide training in the field of professional marketing the female beneficiaries to ensure that they have a fair opportunity to compete in the local labor market, in line with the agricultural and technical support plan that will be presented by the organization’s team during the project period in an attempt to provide them with the necessary capabilities to ensure the long-term continuity of the project.

This project also comes in response to the large needs in the field of livelihoods and securing stable job opportunities for women, as well as securing part of the local market needs of winter crops, which contributes to reducing prices, which may be reflected on the economic and social situations.