RONAHÎ NÛDA

Qamishlo- The Kongra Star Women’s Economic Committee was created in 2015 following the revolution in Rojava Kurdistan. The committee has started 35 agricultural cooperatives employing 422 women and 33 families, three canning food cooperatives employing 44 women, 25 bakery and trade cooperatives employing 97 women. Until now, the committee has started 69 cooperatives employing 596 women.

The cooperatives started in cities, towns and villages

There are 236 hectares of agricultural land in Tekil Beqil village of Dêrik (Al-Malikiyah) and 39 women farmers grow crops there. In the village of Zihêriye, 20 women farmers grow crops on 95 hectares of agricultural land.

21 women grow crops on 75 hectares of agricultural land in the Eli Bedran village of Tirbespiyê (Al-Qahtaniyah) town.

35 women farmers grow crops on 125 hectares of agricultural land in the Gira Sor village of Girker Legê town; six women grow crops on nine hectares of agricultural land in the village Bekir Oxlo; three women grow crops on four hectares of agricultural land in the village of Qastepan.

Six women farmers grow crops on 28 hectares of agricultural land in the Girê Mûze village of Amude.

32 women farmers grow crops on a 150-hectare of agricultural land in the Navkor village of Qamishlo.

Nine women grow crops on a 450-hectare of agricultural land in the Kun Etar village of Hasakah; 10 families grow crops on a 1000-hectare of agricultural land in the village of Kundê Mexrûm; 58 women grow crops on 2,880 hectares of agricultural lands in the village of Sed Elşerqî.

15 women farmers grow crops on a 450-hectare of agricultural land in the Gir Kund village of Dirbesiyê town. Three families grow crops on a 150-hectare of agricultural land in the same village. 46 women grow crops on 2,800 hectares of agricultural lands in Qesrik; 14 women grow crops on 420 hectares of agricultural lands in the villages of Salam and Eleykom.

10 women grow crops on a 500-hectare of agricultural land in Şedadê for an agricultural cooperative. 10 women and nine families grow crops on a 450-hectare of agricultural land for three cooperatives.

Three families grow crops on a 150-hectare of agricultural land in the Til Şinan village of Til Temir.

10 women farmers grow crops on a 10-hectare of agricultural land in Kobanê; the families of five fighters, who lost their lives while fighting ISIS, grow crops on a 90-hectare of agricultural land; four women grow crops on a 10-hectare of agricultural land.

19 women grow crops on a 19-hectare of agricultural land in Shahba.

15 women grow crops on a 140-hectare of agricultural land in the Tiwêhîniyê region of Tabqa.

In Raqqa, three families grow crops on a 14-hectare of agricultural land in the village of Erdê El Kesrat; 20 women grow crops on a 100-hectare of agricultural land in the village of Al-Tishrin.

Projects

The projects realized in cities, towns and villages provide employment opportunities to many women. The number of women employed for the projects are:

Three women work at Sêmalka restaurant in Derik. Four women work at a clothing and cosmetics shop in Roj Camp. 20 women work in the “Life” projects to grow vegetables, wheat, corn, barley and 4,000 fruit trees.

10 women work in the Dugir agricultural project put into practice in the town of Tirbespiyê. In addition, a women's clothing store named Lavin was opened in Tirbespiyê to provide employment opportunities to women. A project named “Demsal” was put into practice to raise 1000 sheep and chickens. There are also cold storages for vegetables and shops in the town.

Six women work in the Lara confectionery shop.

In the city of Qamishlo, 10 women work at Star furniture store and Lavin women's clothing store.

In Dirbesiyê, five women work at Kevana Zêrîn bakery and Lavin women’s clothing store. 12 women work at the Sêgir supermarket, Lavin textile workshop and Lavin grocery shop.

In Shahba, five women work at a drinking water bottling plant; three women work at a bakery.

In the city of Aleppo, 21 women work at workshops such as tailoring shops, bag and ready-made furniture.

In Kobanê, two women work at a bakery, six women at a tea house and a woman at Lavin women’s clothing shop.

In Deir ez-Zor, nine women work at a bakery, four women at a tailor shop and 20 women at a flour mill.

In Manbij, four women work at a poultry farm. There is a canned food factory employing 20 women. Three women work at a bakery.

In Reqa, seven families are responsible for 7,000 olive trees.

‘We keep working despite the attacks’

Gûlê Murad, Spokesperson of the Kongra Star Women’s Economic Committee, told NuJINHA that they have left behind a year full of difficulties, obstacles and Turkish attacks on the region.

“This year, we have kept working despite all the difficulties, obstacles and Turkish attacks. When the Turkish state began to carry out its attacks, we were plating crops. Despite the attacks, we planted crops.”

‘We have planted 4,000 fruit trees in the Cizîrê region’

Speaking about their projects in 2023, she said, “This year, we prioritize cooperatives. We have started news cooperatives. Since the region has suffered from drought for two years, we have installed an alternative irrigation system. We have drilled water wells in Dirbesiyê, Til Temir, Shedadê and Cizîrê. We have planted 4,000 fruit trees in the Cizîrê region. We have also developed bakery projects.”

She also told us that 35 agricultural cooperatives employed 420 women. “We have started cooperatives to promote women’s economic empowerment and provide employment opportunities to poor families and the families of martyrs.”

‘We develop projects according to the needs of our society’

The Kongra Star Women’s Economic Committee has also provided courses to women so that they can take part in the labor forces and develop their own projects. “The committee has 100 women members. Women develop their projects after completing the courses. Our aim is to support women so that they can stand on their own legs. We develop projects according to the needs of our society.”

‘We aim to build a healthy, ecological and anti-capitalist economy’

Pointing to the wars waged for the economy in the world, she said, “Economy is one of the most important things in the world. A country without an economy collapses. The war waged in the West and the Middle East is an economic war. Since October 5, the Turkish state has intensified its attacks on our region. Turkish attacks target our economy. We aim to strengthen our economy despite the ongoing Turkish attacks. In 2024, we will start more cooperatives. In addition, we plan to organize technical courses. We will drill more water mills. We aim to build a healthy, ecological and anti-capitalist economy. We will make more efforts until we achieve our goals.