326 women. 9 cooperatives. Across the West Bank, women are creating new pathways to income, leadership, and resilient communities.
In a context where economic opportunities remain limited and uncertainty continues to affect daily life, women across the West Bank are building new pathways to income, leadership, and resilience... together.
In the town of Al-Shuyukh in Hebron, 52 women are doing exactly that through the Al-Shuyukh Cooperative for Livestock. By working collectively in food processing, production, packaging, and marketing, members of the cooperative are strengthening their families’ livelihoods while expanding their role in community life.
For Yusra Owaidat, president of the cooperative, the vision from the beginning was clear: create a space where marginalized women facing economic and social challenges could build skills, confidence, and economic independence.
With our support through the COOPER IDEA Project, funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), the cooperative received, modern production equipment, training to enhance productivity and marketing, and capacity building in organizational and administrative management
These investments have helped improve efficiency, open access to new markets, and create more stable sources of income for women and their households.
Our cooperative was created to bring marginalized women into a space where they can learn, grow, and participate actively. Through training and capacity building, women are now engaged in production, creating sustainable income, building confidence, and expanding their role in the community. Some members are even taking active roles in local governance and labor unions.” - Yusra Owaidat
Today, the cooperative stands as a living example of how economic empowerment can also strengthen women’s social participation.
Across the West Bank, we work with 30 cooperatives in Hebron, Bethlehem, Salfit, Jenin, and Tubas. Among them, 9 cooperatives are entirely women-led, bringing together 326+ women working in sectors ranging from food processing and agriculture to handicrafts. Each woman represents not only her own empowerment, but also the wellbeing and stability of an entire household.
Because investing in women is an investment in stronger communities.
We remain committed to standing alongside women and vulnerable communities across oPt, working together to strengthen resilience, expand opportunities, and build more inclusive and sustainable futures.
The COOPER IDEA Project is funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and implemented by WeWorld in partnership with ESDC and Halieus.
This article was created with the contribution of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS). The content reflects the views of the implementing partner and does not necessarily reflect the views of AICS.
