You are a hope-bringer in forgotten conflicts
17 December 2018
Local Context
Following the withdrawal of armed groups from Maaloula, the town was left with severe structural damage. The damage to private and public buildings – shops, houses, and land – impeded the local population returning to rebuild their livelihoods, with less than half the original population able to move back into their homes. The St Ephrem Patriarchal Development Committee established the Beit Al-Mouneh Project to create new jobs and ensure continuous income for the families. The project aims to empower women and improve their standards of living; providing jobs and income to 20 women and nutritious homemade food products to the community at affordable prices.
The Beit Al-Mouneh Project
In only four months, the project has provided a kitchen in an accessible location – equipping it with high-quality machines, branded merchandise and raw materials purchased from the local area.
During the project, 19 products were prepared and conserved to combat food insecurity during the winter months. A total of 1,020 items were sold, including fresh juice, marmalades, wine, vinegar and cheese.
Looking forward
The St Ephrem Patriarchal Development Committee is going to rent a shop in Damascus to market the project’s produce, train the workers in Western and Eastern cuisine as there are no similar restaurants in the area, raise the production levels by purchasing seasonal raw materials, and access raw materials currently not widely available in the area.
Summary
As a result of their hard work, and with the support of our donors, the project has gained a positive reputation in the village and surrounding area by providing effective means for the local people to rebuild their livelihoods and overcome the hardship experienced during the conflict.
Explore the amazing work of our local partner in Syria St. Ephrem Patriarchal Development Committee