When the economy plummeted after the first and then second Intifada many men lost their jobs and it was left to the women to find a way to sustain their families. Fatmeh Braigeya found herself in this situation. She had four married children and grandchildren to support. She realized that if she began to cultivate the land she owned in her village of Al-Ma’sara this might provide the needed income.

She took loans from micro-lending organizations and slowly began to cultivate her land. She also took courses in agriculture, and decided she would farm sustainable, using only organic fertilizers and sprays. She succeeded with one greenhouse, then added another, until today she has a total of five greenhouses.

She also decided to raise sheep, and has been successful in that too, so she had a loan of $10000 in year 2000, and $5000 in year 2005 to repair one of her greenhouse. She has had setbacks, settlers’ dogs attacked her sheep once, insects destroying her crops, but she starts a new each time.

She has also endured the loss of a son shortly after his university graduation. Her work and her family gave her the hope to carry on. Today her children and grandchildren help her with the farm. She is pleased that they have strong ties to the land.

Her grandchildren love the sheep. They’ve seen them being born, and given them names, and if a sheep dies, they mourn. This is very different from Fatmeh’s earlier life in Kuwait, where there was no connection to land or animals. Fatmeh has only an elementary school education, but she has become an agricultural expert through taking courses, reading, and her hard won experience.

Because she is such a strong and successful woman, she is often chosen by various micro-lending organizations to represent their borrowers. Not long ago she represented Asala’s clients in a meeting with Queen Ranya in Jordan. Everyone was impressed with the courage and fortitude of this amazing woman.