Oxfam has delivered a 12-month project to improve the livelihoods of 323 households struggling to earn an income from farming and herding in Area C of the West Bank. Willow Heske looks at some of the results.
With funding from the European Commission Directorate for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), Oxfam has delivered a 12-month project to improve the livelihoods of 323 households struggling to earn an income from farming and herding in Area C of the West Bank. People were given help with ploughing and fertilising, greenhouse repair, seed planting, water distribution, animal feed, and veterinary care. The project was unique in that it allowed people to decide for themselves what kind of assistance they needed most.
Ahmed Daraghmeh, a small-scale farmer and herder, had 60 sheep before the project began. Now, after receiving training on animal care, and help with fodder and water for his flock, Ahmed has over 100 sheep. “I used to buy fodder and water on credit and would sell my sheep just to pay down the debt. Thanks to Oxfam I have no debt this season, and I have many new sheep now, so my income next year will grow too.”
Through the project, Um Mohammad and her nine children now make around 5,000 shekels (£890), but Um says the important thing is that the family is planting again. For the three previous years, they didn’t farm for profit because they couldn’t afford to rent the equipment for ploughing and fertilising.
Oxfam project coordinator Buthaina Lufthi says, “I loved working on this project. We didn’t just spend the money and go. We taught people to invest in themselves. We returned people to their land and watched the families work together to earn an income. That’s sustainable.”
Where we work: occupied Palestinian Territories and Israel