- Title: SAUDI-ARABIA: Saudi women's cooperative turns home crafts to profit
- Date: 27th August 2013
- Summary: BURAIDAH, SAUDI ARABIA (RECENT - AUGUST 21, 2013) (REUTERS) MEMBERS OF HERFAH, A MULTI-PURPOSE WOMEN'S COOPERATIVE ORGANISATION, ARRANGING CRAFT WORK ON SHELVES HERFAH MEMBERS DISPLAYING PRODUCTS TO VISITORS AT THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE ASSOCIATION IN QASSIM PROVINCE HERFAH MEMBER SHOWING CRAFT PRODUCTS CLOSE OF POSTER READING (Arabic): 'HERFAH / MULTI-PURPOSE WOMEN'S SOCIETY IN QASSIM' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER FOR HERFAH, NORAH AL-RADI, SAYING: "As Saudi women we are proud of the international accomplishments achieved by Herfah - Herfah won the 2010 Chaillot Prize, an award from the European Commission for maintaining civil rights. It also received recognition by UNESCO as the first non-governmental organisation that is interested in heritage. We at Herfah are working to develop and integrate heritage with modern things, such as clothes, accessories, antiques and even household utensils." WOMEN SEWING IN A SEPARATE ROOM AT THE HERFAH HEADQUARTERS WOMAN WORKING WITH SEWING MACHINE CLOSE OF MATERIAL VARIOUS OF WOMAN DISPLAYING HER CRAFTWORK VARIOUS OF WOMAN BRAIDING THREAD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED HERFAH MEMBER, SAYING: "Here we have the handcraft section for Herfah. We produce several products such as the 'sadu' (Bedouin handmade textile) and alchanf (embroidery on plastic shapes). It has a high turnover in the market." CLOSE OF WOMAN GOING THROUGH THE PROCESS OF WEAVING CLOSE OF WOVEN ACCESSORY READING (Arabic) 'WELCOME' HANDCRAFTED ITEMS ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HERFAH MEMBER, OM SHUJA'A, SAYING: "Since we joined to work with the Herfah Association we have been offered to participate in exhibitions and festivals. We have been asked to produce artwork for them, praise be to God, we have a good income, thanks to them and to God for that." WOMEN MEMBERS OF HERFAH SEEN CRAFTING DECORATIVE ITEMS CLOSE OF WOMAN AS SHE IS WORKING CLOSE OF WOMAN ENGRAVING GLASS WOMAN PAINTING TABLET CLOSE OF PAINT MORE OF WOMAN PAINTING TABLET VARIOUS OF WOMEN PREPARING DATES FOR PACKAGING AT THE HERFAH FOOD PRODUCTS SECTION WOMAN PLACING DATES ON PACKAGING MACHINE VARIOUS OF DATES BEING PACKAGED THROUGH MACHINE PACKAGED DATES DROPPING INTO CONTAINER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HERFAH MEMBER, WAJDAH AL-ANEZI, SAYING: "I had no job before, but Herfah has created many jobs, especially for Saudi women. We now have an income and a profession. Herfah taught us, Saudi women, how to work, to get jobs and have an income." VARIOUS OF HERFAH MEMBERS PLACING DATES INTO BOXES PACKAGED DATES IN GIFT BOXES READY FOR MARKETING CLOSE OF BOX WITH THE HERFAH LOGO
- Embargoed: 11th September 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAF03KGQ2922VMIMP3HBEL8WDWP
- Story Text: In a far-flung corner of Saudi Arabia where life is harsh and beliefs are rigid a women's association group hopes to change the lives of women and turn their home craft and skills into profit.
Qassim-based non-governmental organisation Herfah runs a number of sustainable programs and activities to promote the work of Saudi women who produce traditional Saudi crafts and cuisine.
Women who are members of Herfah are offered courses and training in a variety of sectors, including handcraft, computer technology, art and public relations.
Established in 2003, the association has garnered international attention and won the European Union's 2010 'Chaillot Prize', awarded in recognition of groups that create positive developments in the area of human rights in the GCC region.
Norah al-Radi, the public relations officer for Herfah, told Reuters Television that women in the organisations were proud of their achievements and wanted to create products that integrated Saudi heritage and identity.
"As Saudi women we are proud of the international accomplishments achieved by Herfah - Herfah won the 2010 Chaillot Prize, an award from the European Commission for maintaining civil rights. It also received recognition by UNESCO as the first non-governmental organisation that is interested in heritage. We at Herfah are working to develop and integrate heritage with modern things, such as clothes, accessories, antiques and even household utensils."
Om Shuja'a, a member of the organisation said her creations had allowed her to take part in several exhibitions and festivals.
"Since we joined to work with the Herfah Association we have been offered to participate in exhibitions and festivals. We have been asked to produce artwork for them, praise be to God, we have a good income, thanks to them and to God for that," said Shuja'a.
Another member of the multi-purpose women's cooperative who was wearing the traditional burqa and did not want to give her name said there was real demand for embroidered handcraft made by the women in the organisation.
"Here we have the handcraft section for Herfah. We produce several products such as the 'sadu' (Bedouin handmade textile) and alchanf (embroidery on plastic shapes). It has a high turnover in the market," she said.
The organisation states that it employs 35 women, has 160 women members and supports 350 families in the region on a sustainable basis.
The organisation has dedicated itself to raising awareness of Saudi women artisans and create employment opportunities.
"I had no job before, but Herfah has created many jobs, especially for Saudi women. We now have an income and a profession. Herfah taught us, Saudi women, how to work, to get jobs and have an income," said Wajdah al-Anezi, a member of the organisation.
In one section of the Herfah headquarters women could be seen processing and packaging dates to be shipped off for marketing. In recent years Buraidah has worked to turn itself into a trading hub for the ancient desert commodity.
The annual income of the date industry in the area reaches some 2.5 billion Saudi riyal.
Herfah established the First Business Forum in Riyadh in 2007 which brought together over 140 women craft workers. It also held traditional fashion shows, with one running under the theme of "We Together as One."
The women's associations is supported by the Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation and is chaired by Princess Noura Bint Mohammed Al-Saud, who is also a board member. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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