Micro grant - Fatima

Thanks to your donations, Fatima En’erat in Maithalon village near Jenin received a microgrant to start a dairy production business. She already has arranged with a local animal trader to buy a pregnant cow.

Fatima and her sister have the necessary experience and location to produce dairy products such as yogurt, labaneh, and white cheese. They will market locally in their village.

Fatima is single, and lives with her sister and her elderly parents. The only financial resource for her in her village is working in agriculture. The new PFTA women's cooperative in her village is producing the spice mix Za'atar, giving her and the other members financial security. Her new business will also contribute to her family's success.

Above, Fatima signs her microgrant contract in the PFTA office in Jenin.

May 2016 Update:

The sisters En'erat are known for the quality of their milk, cheese and yogurt in their village. Their cow gave birth to a male calf who is now 6 months old. He is a big boy! They were offered 3500 ILS two months ago but they decided to wait. Now, with Ramadan Eid coming, they can get 7000 ILS for the calf! Their cow is pregnant again, and they are hoping for twins. If they get female calves, they will keep them for milk, and expand their shed, they have the land. Male calves are sold for meat, which pays the production costs – the two cows are now eating about 50 ILS a month.

Here are photos of their original cow, the big calf (above), the fish pond in their courtyard, and a family picture. Haj is unfortunately bedridden, but Hajji, the sisters and sister-in-law and son, and Diane and Ruzzi from the PFTA pose for a portrait.