Salwa Rishmawi is a 60 year old mother of three children.  She lives in Beit Sahour, a city near Bethlehem with her family.  Selwa and her family began selling vegetables in bulk in 2003, after taking a loan for USD $5,000 from Asala. Selwa, her husband and her son did well prior to the first Palestinian uprising in 2000 making and selling clothing.

  Sara is from the town of Beit Fajjar, near Bethlehem.  She is 52 years old and known as Um Abdallah. Sara has 8 children. Her older children are married and don't live at home but she has one daughter who is studying at university and another daughter in elementary school who still live at home.

  Firyal Ahmed is a 45 year old woman living in Jenin.  She's married and has 3 boys and one girl. Her eldest son recently graduated from university and is now a university lecturer, the second is studying at university.  Her daughter is also studying at university.