Providing for the Future
Aref Zahran, 52, lives in Bedo village, one of the remote villages of Ramallah and considered to be one of the most populated and poorest with 13,000 inhabitants. Aref is the sole breadwinner for a family of seven with little possibility of that changing as the other members of his family are unlikely to be able to pursue a higher education.
Having no fixed income himself, Aref has had trouble maintaining an appropriate standard of living in spite of having a degree in accounting. Like many Palestinians used to, he turned to working in construction in Israel which provided him with a stable and reasonable income, but since the rising conflict, he, like thousands of others, can no longer pursue work on Israeli projects.
In 2009, Aref was identified by the Deprived families Economic Empowerment Programme (DEEP), as suffering from absolute poverty and the inability of sustaining life for himself and family.
Based on his talent and experience, Aref suggested to work with UNDP and Al Fakhoora in setting up a natural herbs shop, which are extensively used for medical purposes in Palestine.
Aref stated “I always wanted to start a business of my own, I am very good at management and accounting, but have not had the financial resources to start my shop.”
With no similar shops in the area, his business plan has been approved, and he started his business in late 2009 adding the production of thyme and coffee.
With Aref’s wide social network and marketing abilities, the shop grew in popularity starting with $400 net income per month. As of today, and according to the financial records, Aref’s income has reached $1500 per month. According to the poverty scale, a family of nine in the West Bank would require a minimum of $800 per month for basic living to avoid dropping below the poverty line.
In 2010, Aref sent his son to Jordan to study for his dental technician diploma, which is not available in local universities and a technical job very much in demand. Aref says “My business started to flourish, I was able to maintain our living, and I needed to send my son to study, so he can come back, work and help us.”
In 2011, Aref was unable to send his daughter Manar to university, but as part of the Al Fakhoora UNDP DEEP initiative, Manar was able earn a scholarship to pursue pharmacy studies at Al Quds University in Jerusalem. By 2013, Manar's records show that she is one of the top students with a cumulative record of 80%. Manar says “The scholarship reduced the financial load on my family, so they could continue helping my brother in Jordan. Having transportation and books included is so helpful as well, as both are massively expensive in the West Bank. I hope to finish my studies and open a pharmacy of my own.”
